The Storm
by spitfire-panda
Summary: Arceus has been lulled to sleep by the Elements of Harmony. The god is no longer a threat. Now the forces of Equestria and God's Breath can focus on surviving the war between Unicron and Darkseid. With Unicron directly threatening Equestria and Darkseid eager to conquer the worlds of his new enemy, retreat is not an option. Only victory.
1. Prologue

"Why did you choose to follow my example?" Mistress Ceto said as she finished wiping away the blood and ink from her daughter's shoulder with a clean towel. Medusa now had a new tattoo depicting her battle in Gotham. It was the beginning of a new tapestry similar to the one on her mother's skin. Four little Pokémon figures were surrounded by a wave of black humanoid figures, with Medusa in the middle, her flippers raised high above her head as if to rally her troops. "We went too far in our revenge seeking. Now the one we were going to kill has turned a one-eighty. He's fighting for us, and seeking redemption. I just thought that we'd given him enough chances. After I saw what he did to Welshi, I believed he couldn't change. That he wasn't worth the effort anymore. I was wrong. I feel so foolish."

"You're my mother," Medusa said, softly and a bit shyly. "It's only natural for me to look up to you. I failed to talk that woman down in Gotham, and a full-scale battle erupted. It was bloody and horrible. I know that I will have to send my children out to battle someday soon. I hate that fact, but I can't help it. They want to go, and as servants of God's Breath it is their right to. I need to be stronger, for their sake. So… I chose to follow the example of the strongest, bravest Pokémon I know."

"I see," Ceto said, pride and love filling her as she hugged her daughter around the neck, careful to avoid pressing against her new tattoo. "You can't be blamed for your inexperience, and from the sound of it they probably would have attacked you no matter what. But we went out seeking revenge on a Pokémon that had seen the error of his ways. Though he must still prove himself and many are still skeptical, his return has given great hope to our people. Dorris' recent visions have been troubling. Such hope is desperately needed, and we were prepared to snuff it out without a second thought."

"I… haven't heard of Lady Dorris' visions."

"No one below the High Council has, but they will have to be revealed sooner or later. I'll tell you about it on our way to the Shrine of the Moon."

"I don't think we were wrong to want revenge on Charles," Medusa said as she followed her mother out of the large drawing room of their suit and into the living room. The other Primarina were outside, watching over the children and discussing the recent news from God's Breath. "He tried to kill Lady Welshi. He summoned the Forces of Destruction, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of our soldiers and the majority of the humans in that compound! He fought us in the other world, didn't he? The professors at the Slowking College say so. They even claim he was a host for Dark Arceus for a short while, and he set the Forces of Destruction against us."

"Yet we were motivated by the same emotion he was. We were driven by it just like him."

"But our purpose was pure. Our reason for wanting him dead was justified by the blood on his hands. We couldn't have known he was willing to turn himself around before talking to him."

"Would it have mattered to us when we faced him, though?" Mistress Ceto said, as she paused in the living room, her head bowed in thought as she spoke. "Would we have listened? I can't honestly say I wouldn't have killed him anyway. Most likely, I would have. I would have taken his life and used my rank to force the rest of you to help me if you had tried to back out. That was my mindset then. What was yours?"

Medusa looked uncomfortable and fidgeted under her mother's gaze as she considered the question. She had often wondered what she would do if she had met her husband's killers. According to the accounts compiled by the Slowking College, he had been driven into a corner by the Forces of Destruction moments before they had turned in her city's favor. They hadn't killed him, but some nameless horror from a different reality had. The shades had, in fact, come to Perseus' aid and slaughtered the monsters that had set upon him. Not for his sake, but because the will of Arceus had taken control of them. He had lived just long enough to be carried to Lord Bartholomew and impart his words of farewell.

She had fantasized of what might have happened had she been at his side during that battle many times, rather than fighting atop Doom's palace for her lady's sake. More often than not, she saw herself killing those wretched monsters with a fury that made her blush, tearing through them with water and song until she was finally cut down. She would always die at her husband's side, overjoyed to be with him to the end. Those fantasies were juvenile and she knew it. She had children to live for. Dreaming about death was irresponsible, but she did it all the same.

"I've seen much more than you have, sweetie," Mistress Ceto said as she kissed her daughter on the head and went into the nearby kitchen to prepare them both a glass of lemonade. "I have always sought revenge for those killed under me. I sought revenge for each of your brothers and sisters when they were slain in battle, as well as your father, though you don't remember it. This tendency of mine has caused me grief on more than one occasion. It's a part of my nature I've never been able to overcome. I hope you don't make those same mistakes. I love you, Medusa."

"I love you too, mother," Medusa said as she took her glass of lemonade and hugged her mother.

A knock came at the door and the Primarina turned to see Bartholomew walk through.

"Miss Lillie is ready," he said. He was a gentle giant when not in a fighting mindset, and easily approachable. Lillie had taken a liking to him, though the other humans still weren't sure what to make of his position as a general in a Pokémon army. This made them a bit wary around all of the Pokémon from God's Breath, though they remained friendly. Leon sat on his shoulder, where he had been since Pinkie Pie had left. He and his friends had been extremely distraught when the girls had been taken away be Arceus, but the adults had calmed them down. They had assured the young Pokémon that the girls would return once they had helped decide the strategy going forward. For now, they were being mentored by the council members aboard the ship and the Primarina of Ceto's colony.

"Lillie seemed quite concerned about what we're asking of her friends," Bartholomew continued. "I tried to assure her that they would be fine. I'm not sure how successful I was."

"Her friends are legends, my lord," Medusa said, casually. "Of course they'll be fine."

"Yes, but humans often come to see their Pokémon companions as family. Lillie is no exception."

"This is true," Mistress Ceto said. "It is also true that her friends are legends. If they aren't capable of taking care of themselves, no one is. Lead the way, Bartholomew."

Bartholomew nodded his head and the Primarina followed him out onto the deck of the cruise ship while Leon looked on excitedly from his shoulder.

"Are… are you sure?" Lillie said as she stared at the Pokémon standing before her, a deeply worried look on her face. They were sailing off the coast of Poni Island, coming around to dock at Seafolk Villiage. "These are my friends. I wouldn't be here if not for them. They helped me save my mother, you know. You're asking me to… send them to war?"

"They will be joined by others of their kind," Mistress Ceto said, gently. She put a calming flipper on Lillie's shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "Besides, they are among the most powerful species of Pokémon in existence. They are more than capable of fighting."

"I know, but…" Lillie said, tears welling up in her eyes. "This has all been so sudden and confusing. I'm still not sure I understand. Arceus was defeated by those girls I met before? How? Our world is safe, but you're still fighting. I'm sorry, but I don't understand why you have to fight."

"To keep our world safe," Lord Bartholomew said, simply. "In trying to appease Arceus, we crossed into other universes. This was one of Arceus' specific requests, and so we couldn't deny it. As a consequence, our forces have been targeted by evil gods from another reality where Pokémon don't exist. We must face them in this other universe so they don't come here. To do that, we will have to wage a prolonged campaign against the darkness."

"That's why we want to enlist the help of the Ultra Beasts," Medusa said, her children playing with their friends in the pool on the deck below them. Their joyful laughs were a sharp contrast to the fear in Lillie's eyes. "We know little about our foe, and we need all the help we can get. As for Arceus, those girls chose to seal the god when it declared its intentions for genocide. Their Rainbow Power appealed to the god's goodness, which had been overshadowed by its evil. They lulled it to sleep and imprisoned it in a cocoon of magic that is foreign to our world. We believe this will keep Arceus imprisoned while the magic balances out the nature of the god."

"I once called them 'Nebby 1' and 'Nebby 2'," Lillie said as she looked down at the pokéballs in her hands. "Now I call them Phobos and Cephei. They seemed to like those names. Please, take care of my precious friends."

She threw the pokéballs and released their occupants. A blood red Solgaleo and Lunala appeared on the deck, their size barely accommodated by the lounging area they were in.

"Greetings," Mistress Ceto said, as she looked the legends over approvingly. Though young and inexperienced, they were every bit as imposing as the Solgaleo and Lunala she had met in the past. "Phobos. Cephei. It is an honor to meet you. We ask you to join with us. Please, open a portal to Ultra Space and help us recruit your kin. We will need their power soon, just as we need yours. A meeting has already been arranged. All you must do is create the wormhole to invite our guests through."

"We will open the wormhole for you," Phobos said, as she looked Ceto over carefully, her wings flapping gently as she hovered above the deck. The legend's shadow cast through the tempered glass floor upon the swimming pool below. The laughing had stopped, and the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard as the children made their way to the top deck to see the legends for themselves. "We haven't had many experiences with others of our species. We were lost here when we were very young, and have been held captive by the Aether Foundation for a year before we were saved."

"Now the Foundation couldn't hold you even if they tried. Will you help us?"

"You have been kind to Lillie," Cephei said, as he nuzzled his human partner. "She has been like an older sister to us. We will help you, for her sake."

"Thank you," the Pokémon from God's Breath said as they bowed their heads.

"I have one more thing to give you, then," Lillie said as she walked past the Pokémon. "We weren't sure what to do with these poor fellows. They need a home, but they were made for the sole purpose of battle. In my mother's eyes, they exist to kill or capture Ultra Beasts. To my brother and I, they are living creatures that need good friends to help them learn self-control."

"We know of your experiments," Lord Bartholomew said, sadly. "And the Type: Null your organization created. We didn't plan to leave without them, honestly."

"So you will accept them into your… armies?" Lillie said, her mouth still having trouble forming the word, as if she couldn't quite believe that a city full of Pokémon could exist in the way God's Breath did.

"We will gladly accept them as our brothers and sisters in arms. We will give them a home, and the purpose they so desperately need. They will be accepted as family, and will serve a force of great good."

"Thank you," Gladion said as he walked out of the shadows of the stairway that led below decks, a tall, proud Silvally walking at his side. He had been picked up from Aether Paradise the day before, but had been rather reclusive. This was the first time the group had seen him smile since his arrival. "We've been keeping them on a secluded island off the northern coast of Poni ever since we took over the foundation for our mother. Their numbers have increased quite a bit. They'll be overjoyed to have a new place to call home for their families. I'll introduce you to them."

"So these are the Type: Null?" Master Zhulong said as he looked over the four creatures marching alongside Gladion and his Silvally as they trekked through the Vast Poni Canyon. These were the leaders among their new species, chosen according to their battle performance in the secret laboratories of Aether Paradise. Several hundred Type: Null had already been sent to the city to be greeted and integrated into the normal-type army by Lady Harmony's mate, Roll. "They are… interesting."

"We were made to kill," one of the Type: Null growled dangerously. He stared angrily at Zhulong as if threatening. The elder Drampa just smiled and nodded his head.

"Good, good. There will be much need for killing in the future, child. So long as you learn when to use that talent and when not to, there will be no trouble."

"We have suffered. Compassion and self-control do not come easily to us."

"We have all suffered, my boy," Zhulong said as he lifted the thick hair on the side of his body to reveal a criss-crossing network of scars on his skin. "You are in good company now. Though we haven't suffered by the same hands, we have all suffered."

He nodded in the direction of Mistress Ceto, whose own scars were barely visible underneath the tapestry of ink on her skin. The Type: Null looked around at the Pokémon from God's Breath as if realizing for the first time that they all carried scars. Some were visible; some were faded. Some were hidden under mounds of fur like Lady Harmony, or behind an article of clothing depicting the Pokémon's type-affiliation within the city's armies. Some were hidden deep in their hearts. The Type: Null fell into silent thought and remained that way, even after the group had arrived at the Altar of the Moon.

The group stood atop the altar, looking out over the canyon from to the top of the stairs. Phobos and Cephei roared together, and a wormhole to Ultra Space opened before them. Behind them, another hole in space opened and Joan nodded as if finishing a conversation. She turned toward the portal to Equestria and welcomed their guest through. The tall, impossibly muscular form of a Buzzwole flew through the hole to Ultra Space. Opposite the Ultra Beast, from the second portal, flew the slender, pink form of Princess Cadance dressed in an elaborately decorated battle dress with many clear crystals hemmed around the edges. The Buzzwole sized up the pony as the two came to face each other in the center of the deck.

"Greetings, Lord Ajatasatru," Mistress Ceto said, bowing her head cordially. "Princess Cadance, thank you for coming to represent Equestria."

"It's my pleasure," Cadance said as she extended a hoof to the Buzzwole lord. Ajatasatru looked at Ceto and shook his head.

"You expect me to exchange greetings with this lowly creature?"

"Lowly?" Cadance said, the flawless crystals of her dress shining in the sunlight as she withdrew her hoof and frowned. "I wish to be your friend, not your rival. There's no call for insults unless you're trying to start a fight."

"You are beneath me, just as this world is," Ajatasatru said, angrily. He bent down to stare the pony in the eyes, his bulk imposing and threatening. Cadance sized him up, unsure of what to make of him but wary of the threat in his posture. "Fighting with you or against you is a waste of my time. I might as well return home if this is the best that God's Breath's allies have to offer."

"We'll greet you as a friend!" Lillie said, hurrying forward to bow to the alicorn. Her brother came with her, his Silvally and the four Type: Null eyeing the Buzzwole eagerly. Gladion glared at them for a moment, and they turned their gaze down to the ground. Ajatasatru didn't even seem to notice. "My name is Lillie, and this is my brother Gladion. We are the only humans here. The others in our party had important business to attend to but on their behalf we welcome you to the Temple of the Moon, and our adopted homeland of the Alola Region."

"Thank you," Cadance said, returning the twin's bow. "I wish I could stay and explore this beautiful world of yours, but there is so much to do. We need the Ultra Beasts by our side in the battles to come. We need the entirety of Ultra Space behind our war efforts."

Mistress Ceto watched the princess curiously as the Buzzwole lord turned to walk back through the wormhole he had been summoned through.

"We are not God's Breath," Ajatasatru said, waving a hand in the air dismissively. "We are not your friends, nor are we in debt to you. Even if you have two of our kind with you, I refuse your request."

Two more wormholes opened from Ultra Space, their arrival stopping Ajatasatru in his tracks. He gripped his hands into angry fists as a Solgaleo came out of the wormhole on his right, his mane bristling in excitement at the sight of the warriors from God's Breath. A red sash was wrapped around his middle, with golden tassels that trailed behind him as he moved. A massive Guzzlord emerged from the wormhole on his left, his feet covered in exotic rubies and sapphires that seemed to shimmer with movement even when they were completely still.

"Are… are those time crystals?" Princess Cadance asked as she watched the Guzzlord walk through the wormhole.

"They are, princess," the Guzzlord replied, bowing his head respectfully. "They were formed in the heart of these gems by natural processes in our world. I'm sure you know why I'm here, though. I proudly declare my people in favor of God's Breath and Equestria! We are here to serve, your majesty."

"You don't speak for all of us, Brutus," Ajatasatru said, angrily.

"I've got equal say here. You're just mad that I ate your favorite punching bag."

"You ate my last three favorite punching bags!"

"He also ate your bed just before we left," the Solgaleo said with a hearty laugh as Brutus burped loudly. Phobos and Cephei watched the exchange eagerly, marveling at the dynamic between their fellow Ultra Beasts.

"What good will involving us in this fight do?" Ajatasatru asked, pointing his finger at the Solgaleo angrily. "This war between foreign gods is not ours to fight. I know you sent seven Kartana to aid that princess on Arceus' golden chain, and four other beasts fought in Equestria when the enemy made landfall there. I questioned them myself, and received some small insight into their exploits. We've helped these 'ponies' enough. We are not indebted to God's Breath! There is no reason to help them further!"

"Are you angry because you don't want to help us?" Mistress Ceto said, softly. She eyed the Ultra Beast with some curiosity as she spoke. "Or are you angry because you know that if you help us, we will require you to return the power you stole from the titans after that last… incident? Are you more concerned for your people, or for yourself?"

"You dare!" Ajatasatru shouted, stomping forward angrily, his fists clenched at his sides.

"He keeps that energy in a large vial in his palace," Brutus said, with a chuckle. "It's his pride and joy!"

Ajatasatru turned to stare at the Guzzlord. Though his face was hard to read, he was clearly enraged but he did nothing more than stand and stare.

"Your concerns are noted and respected, by the way," the Solgoleo said, as he put a friendly paw on one of the Buzzwole's arms. "However, you're outvoted Ajatasatru, even if that means you must return the power you stole to Gyara and the great Steelix lords. I give my full support to God's Breath and Equestria. Our people will march in support of your endeavors, whatever they may be."

"I thank you," Princess Cadance said with a bow that the Ultra Beast leaders returned. Ajatasatru stood stiffly for a moment, grumbling to himself before he bowed as well. "I wasn't aware that you knew of our situation, though. I was told that I would need to fill you in."

"I filled them in for you, your majesty," said a small Mimikyu that had walked through the Ultra Wormholes with the beasts. She was so small next to her companions that she was barely visible but the Council all bowed to her with the exception of Mistress Ceto and the little Mimikyu that served Joan.

"Mama!" Hwan said as he darted forward to hug his mother. The elder Mimikyu lifted him up and hugged him close.

"Ah, Minerva!" Mistress Ceto said as she took the Mimikyu's claws in her flippers. "It's so good to see you again. Thank you for doing this."

"It wasn't hard at all," Mistress Minerva said, her tattered, grey costume swaying back and forth a bit as she moved. "I just took a few books from one of those cranky, old Oranguru at the Slowking College. They were filled with accounts of Battleworld and Octaria. Such tales of glory and triumph were enough to bring most of the Pokémon in Ultra Space around to our side. Though I felt a bit bad scaring those poor, little Cosmog in the nursery. I'll have to bring them some toys later and apologize."

"Cosmog?" the great, jewel-incrusted Guzzlord asked curiously. "How on earth did you get Cosmog in your nursery?"

"I sweet-talked a Hoopa and he saved them from an alternate universe for me. Now, let's head to the city and talk more about our strategy. You've yet to meet the new leaders of God's Breath, afterall. And the other pony princesses would love to meet you, as well."

The group began making their way back down the steps of the temple. Even the mighty Buzzwole lord sighed and followed. For all their talk of war, and the promise of violence on the horizon, the gathering was friendly and jovial.


	2. Chapter 1

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walked through the portal and into the ruined business district of Gotham City. They both wore elaborate dresses, made by the best designers in Canterlot. Though extravagantly jeweled, the dress designs were simple and functional, with two layers of chainmail underneath. Each princess had a sword at her side, and a round shield on her back. They were met by Superman, and a base camp filled with human soldiers.

"Greetings," Princess Celestia said as she approached Superman. "I take it you're one of the superheroes we've heard so much about?"

"I am, your majesty," Superman said, politely. "Batman told me to tell you that for resurrecting all of the soldiers that died in the previous battle, you are welcome in Gotham for as long as you wish to stay. If not for your help, we would have had World War III on our hands right now… on top of everything else."

"And these soldiers?" Princess Luna said, looking over the unsure faces in the camp.

"The U.S. government wants to give a show of force, for appearance's sake. To show gratitude for your kindness and restraint, I'm here to make sure that the government doesn't give these fine men and women any unseemly orders."

"Much appreciated, Superman," the princess said, looking up at the beautiful, cloudless sky. "It is a lovely night to fly. Care to join us?"

"I would be honored."

They took to the sky and flew over the city. It seemed much more peaceful than it had just a week prior, and the rebuilding had already begun.

"The people of this city know what happened," Superman said as they flew over a busy street. People rushed in and out of restaurants below them, glancing up at them curiously. They watched the ponies with some concern, but Superman's presence seemed to reassure them. A few blocks down were a number of stores and several blocks down from there was a popular nightclub. They received similar reactions everywhere they went. "The rumor mill may have mixed a few things up, but they understand current events… for the most part. The government is keeping this whole situation quiet. The world thinks this was an invasion from Apokolips, and our international allies helped turn the tide. Everyone looks good, even if they don't deserve to. All footage of the events have either been taken off of the internet or edited. Enough got out that people know you exist, but you've been made out to be heroic aliens who came to our aid. The official word revolves completely around Apokolips as the enemy, and the Justice League has signed off on all of this."

"You serve your government well," Princess Celestia said, unsure of what to think of a government lying to its people so blatantly but desiring to keep the conversation positive. She and Luna were both a bit distracted as they flew alongside their new friend, various thoughts and reports entering their minds through the psychic link as they went.

"We serve the people," Superman replied. "Not the government. The government is meant to serve the people, but that doesn't often happen as it should. Batman has all the evidence he needs to out the government for their lies, but he won't use it unless he has a good reason to. Part of our deal to keep quiet about this was that you and your kind are not to be harmed again. We saw what you did, and we saw what was done to you. We consider you friends, if that's alright with you."

"That is more than alright with us. Perhaps you can help us with something then?"

"What is it?"

"Your government has some of our people, and we need them back."

"I think we can do that," Superman said with a smile.

"We left them with Hack," Amanda Waller said, as she frowned down at the ponies.

"And who is 'Hack'?" Princess Celestia said, unimpressed with the grumpy old soldier.

"She's a metahuman. She can hack literally anything with her mind and those holographic computers of hers. She's on my team."

"So she's a villain," Superman said. "Where is she?"

"Don't know. She was kidnapped by Kobra weeks ago. They probably want her to hack those transforming robots they took from us, too."

"Where was the last place they were seen?"

"I can tell you exactly where they are now," Amanda said as she pulled some papers off of her desk and pointed to the map underneath. "They're in a farm in Oklahoma they took over yesterday morning. Several militia groups are already fighting back as of last night. Military reinforcements from Texas are on their way there. Powergirl beat them to it, but she's held up. Last report said that Kobra somehow got their hands on red-sun radiation canons."

"Red sun radiation canons?" Princess Luna asked, looking off to the west as if she were listening for something. "Elaborate, please."

"Red sun radiation strips my people of the power we normally have under a yellow sun," Superman said. "Powergirl is my cousin. If she's being hit by beams of red sun radiation, then she'll be susceptible to gunfire. She'll be weakened enough for normal weapons to hurt her."

"Then we should give them support at once. Lead us to this 'Oklahoma', Superman."

"It would be wrong to plunge such important guests into a heated battle the moment you arrive," Superman said. "I'm sure I can find someone to keep you company while I see to the aid of the people."

"We left a number of psychic-types here, guarded by teams of changelings," Princess Celestia said, confidently. "They've been giving us their reports telepathically since we arrived. We know the risks your world offers, as well as the threat certain groups within your government still pose. We are prepared accordingly."

"I thought you came through alone," Amanda Waller said, looking around for signs of an army. She seemed nervous, but the princesses only smiled. "We had no word of forces left behind. What we do have word of is an increasing threat in the south. Kobra is packing some power we've never seen them use before. If our reports are accurate then the two of you won't be enough, not even with the big, blue boy scout."

"We are the only ones who came through that portal," Princess Luna said, simply. "We are enough for now, and reinforcements are on standby. Our technology and magic have improved since we were last here. We have learned our lessons. You will find us much more organized this time around."

"I see. So you're weaponizing the past and future against us. That makes you feel comfortable in your position? Just the two of you, by yourselves? Knowing the future doesn't mean you can avoid it."

Princess Luna looked up at the moon and frowned.

"It is not my moon, but it will do," she said as she took hold of it with her magic and began to drag it across the night sky as easily as one might drag a piece of paper across a desk. "We can also move the sun, if we wish. It is something my sister does everyday, and I do on days when she is sick. As for our seers, their skills are best used to prepare for battle and wage it, where their predictions could save lives. We would have more time to prepare for our actual purpose if it weren't necessary to watch you humans more closely while operating in your lands."

Amanda Waller stared at the moon with a tight jaw and clenched fists, while her soldiers struggled to remain professional despite the fear and awe on their faces. Superman just sighed.

"I think you've made your point, your majesty," he said after a moment. "We'd prefer it if the tides didn't get too upset."

"Agreed," Luna said as she set the moon back in the exact spot she had taken it from. "One last question. Where is Lex Luthor, right now? We released him back into your world several days ago, and our psychics have lost track of him."

"Not surprising," Amanda said, her hands clasping the pistol on her belt as if preparing to draw and fire. She eyed Superman, and slowly let go of the weapon. "He's with Gorilla Grodd, last I checked. Grodd knows a thing or two about psychic powers. Your people are probably being blocked somehow. That would be my best guess."

"Let us hope he and his friends keep to themselves, then," Princess Celestia said as she and her sister rose into the sky once more. "Now, on to Oklahoma. I believe another hero will join us there. One called 'Wonder Woman'. It sounds like she has a young sidekick with her, as well."

The princesses flew alongside Superman as fast as they could. Though the Man of Steel was faster, word of Wonder Woman's arrival on the scene made him more comfortable with keeping pace with the ponies rather than rushing there himself. Since the ponies didn't know the layout of the land well, despite the psychic maps given to them by their Pokémon friends, they chose to play it safe and travel by wing. It took two hours to arrive at the site of the battle. The trio eventually arrived at a large series of fields. They landed next to Wonder Woman, on top of a hill where her volunteer soldiers waited.

"Did you see what the moon did?" Wonder Woman said as Superman and his new friends landed in front of her. "I've got my hands full here but…"

"It's nothing to worry about," Princess Luna said, with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "Just a little show of force to incentivize your governments to not attack us again. Let's hope it works."

"What's the situation, Wonder Woman?" Superman asked, as he surveyed the scene. Wonder Woman looked down at the princesses in concern for a moment before replying.

"We're at a stalemate," Wonder Woman said, as she waved her hand out over the scene. Citizen militia members were waiting patiently from the hills and plains surrounding the five hundred acres of farmland the Kobra Cult had taken. They were armed with whatever guns they had at their disposal. They were led by a number of retired veterans, who had been happy to give overall command to Wonder Woman upon her arrival. "My soldiers have the base surrounded, just down the hillside here. We have reinforcements coming from all over the state. There are reports from Texas and New Mexico that more cults are popping up. They have alien tech, and they're better trained than I remember them last. They've also summoned a demon lord. I fought him myself. I was unable to slay him."

She placed a hand to her stomach subconsciously, over the bloody dressing visible through the hole in her uniform.

"If it weren't for Kara, I'd be dead. She fought hard, but took an ax swing just after being blasted with one of those awful red-sun canons. The people here fought the enemy back, allowing Kara and I to make a tactical retreat. I made her lay down in the medical tent for a while."

"Their numbers are impressive," Princess Celestia said. A line of cultists was just visible in the fields below them. "Your scout is doing a commendable job of keeping herself hidden."

"We number them at twenty-thousand soldiers. More keep coming in through some sort of teleportation device, though. Our last estimate could be wrong."

"We need to put an end to this, and fast," Superman said, wearily. "Society is scared and fractured. With all the alien abductions, battles of varying degrees, and then Gotham… We need to show the world something positive out of this."

"I see much positive here, already," Diana said as she surveyed her troops. "These men and women stand strong together against a great evil. They have taken up arms in defense of their friends and families while a terrorist group summons demons into their midst. This is positive, Superman."

"You're right," Superman said, as he brushed his head with a hand. "Let's end this on a victory, then. Let's put a permanent stop to whatever Kobra is doing here."

"If you humans don't mind," Princess Celestia said, as she and her sister stepped forward, horns glowing with power as they opened several dozen portals around them. "We came to save our people, though we'd be more than happy to help your people while we're here. What's more, our friends from Cybertron have people held captive by these criminals."

"We'll take it from here, friends," Princess Luna said as she watched the royal guard of Canterlot walk through the nearest portal. Several yards away, the militia from Ponyville walked through another portal led by Rarity and Trixie. Still further down the line of tired, confused human militiamen came a much larger portal from God's Breath. The Mega Audino, Lady Harmony, rode atop the shoulder of her mate, the massive Snorlax, Roll. Two hundred of her normal-types marched behind them. Several miles from them, more portals opened to release five-hundred rock-types into the plains of Oklahoma led by the Mega Tyranitar, Lord Krush. At Krush's side marched his best friend, the Tyrantrum, Lord Chompy.

Even more portals opened, this time down the hill amidst the gathered Kobra forces. Six-hundred Autobots and Decipticons roared their engines as they charged the bewildered enemy lines. Two final portals opened in the sky, releasing one hundred dragon-types who wasted no time in setting the ground aflame below them.

"I cannot guarantee the safety of these 'Kobra' soldiers," Princess Luna said as she watched the battle unfold with grim satisfaction. "Though the soldiers from God's Breath still listen to our commands despite their new leadership, we do not control the Cybertronians in any capacity, and are unaware of their orders concerning mercy."

"I wish you had warned us first," Wonder Woman said, biting her lip in frustration. She removed her lasso from her belt and took to the air. "Still, they're doing a good job. Those giant robots are impressive warriors. Are they alive?"

"Yes, they are," Princess Celestia said. "They're a race of robotic life forms from a universe parallel to ours. Their power is formidable, and their technology far advanced."

"Uhg, this place smells awful!" Trixie said as she and Rarity came to stand beside the princesses. "Does anypony have any of those scented candles? We need one badly."

"I brought some," Rarity said as she pulled four candles from her saddlebags and attached two of them to a pair of small holsters on the sides of her battledress. The other two she attached to Trixie's dress, and with a simple spell she lit them on fire. "I planned for the eventuality of terrible-smelling battle, and fashioned our dresses just so."

"It looks like we're a bit late, though. Things have already started down there. Are those demons? Nopony said there'd be demons here."

"They're part of a Satanist cult that was recruited by Kobra," Wonder Woman said as she watched the battle unfold in and around the Kobra stronghold. "According to the prisoners we've taken, they worship a demon named Mazikeen. We suspect their orders are all locally transmitted, meaning that their lord may not be directly in control of them."

"And this 'Kobra' group often summons demons to fight for them?" Rarity said, as she watched the battle unfold with disgust.

"They do whatever it takes to gain power," Superman said, wincing as he watched the Decepticon berserkers carve into the enemy humans with a cold, calculated cruelty. "From enslaving aliens, to mutating entire populations, to taking over countries. They're ruthless and brutal, but they don't deserve to die like this."

He rose into the air and darted down to the battlefield to pick up fallen soldiers and begin carrying the wounded back behind the militia lines for medical treatment.

"Those monsters killed an entire town," one of the militiamen said, as he watched Superman carry wounded Kobra cultists to the makeshift medical tent nearby. "They were slaughtered in some mad ritual, and the monsters never batted an eye. Why is he saving them?"

"Because he's superman," Wonder Woman said as she rose into the air to join her friend. "He can take most attacks and keep going, so he spares everyone he can knowing that there's little they can do to actually hurt him. I don't share my friend's need to save every life, especially in the heat of battle. Let's move forward and end this quickly."

"You wouldn't spare them?" Princess Celestia asked, as she and her sister joined Wonder Woman in the air. The human militiamen began a forward advance, careful to avoid friendly fire in the now chaotic battlefield.

"Would you have spared our soldiers if you didn't have the threat of that evil god hanging over your head?"

"A fair question. We would have spared your soldiers up until they began to kill us. After that, I'm not so sure. Killing is not something to take lightly. Nor is the death of your friends. Yet you aren't like those parademons I've heard about. You're closer to us in thought and action, which makes answering more difficult."

"Your forces might already be answering that question for you, princess," Diana said as she pointed to the places where the Pokémon and ponies had begun to engage the humans. A large pack of Furfrou were wreaking havoc among the cultists with Echoed Voice attacks and Wild Charges that sent electrical waves through the air around them to paralyze nearby cultists. Weapons catches exploded and tanks were overrun by the Canterlot Royal Guard and the Ponyville Militia, who had come armed with vials of explosive potions and axes sharp enough to pierce a dragon's hide.

"They're stopping just short of killing, though we gave them permission to do whatever is necessary to achieve victory. While we will never abandon mercy, our feelings align to yours more closely than to your friend's, Princess Diana. Not all of us are invulnerable, afterall."

Diana nodded in respect, and even some of the militiamen who were marching past looked at the ponies with

"I see Pharynx in the thick of it," Trixie said with a satisfied smile. "He's really shaped his changelings back into a proper fighting force. They've embraced the ferocity they had under Chrystalis."

"I'm guessing he's the larger, more ferocious of the… bug-like ponies on the field?"

"He is," Princess Celestia said, regally. "He and his brother have proven themselves quite capable leaders among the changelings. As you can see, they've already broken into the enemy silos where our friends were being held."

Pharynx and his soldiers were carrying the Porygon out of the largest grain silo and into the waiting arms of Harmony's team of Chansey, Blissey and Wigglytuff. A group of decepticons drove up a minute later and helped the changelings withdraw the two autobots, Bulkhead and Arcee. Pharynx was quick to pass them off and return his troops to the battle, though Arcee and Bulkhead shared a some words with the Porygon that the people on the top of the hill couldn't hear. The Porygon hovered over to the Transformers to give them a quick hug before returning to their fellow Pokémon.

"Now they've transformed into a horde of giant, rampaging insect monsters…" Wonder Woman said, with mild amusement as she watched the changelings wreak havoc among the cultists. They changed shape in seamless fashion, shrinking into smaller creatures to dodge gunfire and expanding into larger creatures once they were on top of their foe. "At least they don't seem to be enjoying their brutality. Some of those Kobra agents may never stand again."

"Their friends and family were brutalized by humans not all that long ago," Trixie said as she flipped her hair. Her battle dress was long, and light blue with stars and planets patterned throughout. It went perfectly with her sorcerer's cap, while mostly hiding the chainmail she wore underneath. "I can't blame them. As for us, your majesties. What are your orders?"

Trixie and Rarity both bowed to the princesses.

"We're sending you two through one of those portals," Princess Celestia said, nodding toward one of the large, red holes in space from which a horde of demons were now emerging from.

"The great and powerful Trixie is scared of nothing," Trixie said as she watched the demons, and frowned in disgust. "But that doesn't look safe. I was kinda hoping this exploration mission would be performed somewhere less… evil looking."

"You won't be going alone, big sis!" said a familiar voice from behind the ponies. Trixie turned, only be tackled by a Sableye. She steadied herself to keep from falling, and embraced the little Pokémon. Two tall, muscular Blaziken walked up behind him and observed the battle below with a casual eagerness.

"Buakaw, Namsak, and my little Ragnuk!" Trixie said as she hugged the Sableye close. "It's so good to see you three!"

"Tim came, too!" Ragnuk said as he lifted the severed head of a Carnage zombie that hung from a chain on the black, cloth belt at his waist. The symbiote scowled at everyone around him, his mouth sewn shut and the rotted parts of his face treated with embalming fluids to keep him from rotting further. "Mistress Lynn was able to revive him so he could talk again… but I forgot how she said she did it. She's so pretty, I kinda got distracted."

"I… honestly don't know what to think about all of you at this point," Wonder Woman said as her militiamen watched the severed zombie head, and the ghost-type that carried it, with revulsion. "No offense, but you're all rather bizarre."

"I don't care if you think we're bizarre," Rarity said as she began walking forward. A pair of Altaria flew up from the battle below, where they had been harrying enemy reinforcements alongside their fellow dragon-types, to hover next to the fabulous unicorn. "I think you could use a proper bit of perfume to be honest, and a bath and a shave. That's not even beginning to touch on your… attire. Regardless, we have work to do. Despite being a dressmaker by trade, I am also a champion of my people. As is Trixie. There is much to be done. You can come with us, or not."

"I have an obligation to my soldiers," Wonder Woman replied. "I will stay with them. Once we're done here, we'll travel to other parts of the country to begin ridding the countryside of the Kobra menace."

"I'll go," Superman said as he landed next to the ponies.

"Me, too!" said a small voice. A young girl dressed in a uniform that was striped like a bumblebee sat on the man of steel's shoulder. She was six inches tall, with a pair of yellow energy pistols at her waist. Her clothes were torn and burned from fighting. She leapt off of Superman's shoulder and grew five feet. "I was just in there. I saw some real unpleasant things. I can lead you through it."

"My squad will accompany you, too," said a Transformer as he rolled up to the group in car mode. He was a yellow camero with black stripes. "Our friends are safe now, as are yours. We've got the enemy on the run, though those demons are no laughing matter. You'll need the help we can give."

"Hey, I like your color scheme," the girl said as she looked up at the giant robot. She held out a hand in greeting. "I'm Bumblebee!"

"You're Bumblebee?" the Transformer said, in mild surprise. He reached down and shook her hand. "That happens to be my name, too!"

"Two Bumblebees?" Trixie said, rolling her eyes as she began moving down the hillside. "You look so much alike! How ever will we tell you apart?"

"We look nothing alike, little pony," the girl said.

"Bumblebee, stay with me," Wonder Woman called after the girl.

"But I can help them!"

"I know you can, but we need your scouting abilities for the future. You're skills have proven invaluable so far, and I get the feeling that they've got all the firepower they need."

"Indeed we do," Rarity said with a goodbye wave of her hoof. Another portal opened just ahead, releasing an army of ice-types led by the Articuno, Lady Lorna. "But your offer was very kind. Please, be safe in your future endeavors."

"You too…" Bumblebee said as she flew back to Wonder Woman's side.

Twelve autobots drove up behind the group and transformed into robot mode. The pack of Furfrou came up behind Rarity and Trixie, flanking them protectively alongside their other Pokémon guardians and the militia from Ponyville. A number of ice-types broke off from the main group, led by a pair of Alolan Ninetales. Before them was a large, red portal opening into the depths of an alternate dimension. A demon had walked through that portal minutes ago. Now it lay on the ground, dead at the feet of Pharynx and a dozen of his changelings. He gave a shout, ordering his swarm through the portal ahead of their friends. Seconds later, the rest of the team followed after.

"Now that that's settled," Princess Celestia said as she turned to look at Wonder Woman. "We would like to speak to the 'Green Lantern'. My sister and I plan to visit the front lines of this war that is being waged by… Oa, was it?"

"You wish to see the battle being waged in space?" Wonder Woman asked. "I'm sorry to say, but all of our Green Lanterns are currently off world. We don't have the resources to get you out to the battlefield at the moment."

"We do," said a cold, robotic voice echoing out of a tank that drove up the hillside. The human soldiers raised their guns reflexively, but the tank gave no signs of acknowledgement as he transformed into a towering, robotic figure. "I am Megatron, your majesties. I will gladly take you and your soldiers out to the front lines, but not in this universe. The destruction these people have seen is only a side-effect of a much greater war waging elsewhere."

"Both Optimus Prime and Lio Convoy refused us when we asked them to take us," Princess Luna said, eyeing the Transformer warily. "They said it was too dangerous. That we shouldn't have to risk ourselves for their war, even though this 'Unicron' threatens our universe, as well."

"They told us of you too, Lord Megatron," Princess Celestia said. "They told us that you and your kind are dangerous, as well."

"They didn't lie," Megatron replied, with a self-satisfied smile. "I am quite dangerous, but I don't think that you should be protected from a fight you have stakes in. What's more, my people have been at peace with the autobots for several thousand years. I am a member of the ruling council of Cybertron, afterall. I pose no threat to you, despite my… friendly rivalry with Optimus and the others."

The princesses looked to one another for a moment, reading each other's expressions to come to a silent agreement. Then they called the Pokémon and the rest of their ponies to their side.

"We will go with you, Lord Megatron. Lead the way."


	3. Chapter 2

"Are you sure Lorna shouldn't have come?" Rarity asked as she and Trixie led their party through the dark, rocky pits of this strange new realm. They were walking through a canyon pass, circling around the canyon itself along one of its higher paths. They couldn't see the bottom, but they could hear the distant screams coming from the darkness below.

It was incredibly hot, with dark thunderheads hanging overhead as far as the eye could see. There were bones scattered all about, and smoke from multiple fires visible above the canyon wall to their right. A smell hung in the air that none of them could put a name to. Those who wandered away from the group reported feeling deep despair caused by some magic that was natural to this place. Only the song from Rarity's Altaria, and minds focused on their mission, kept the despair at bay. Those scouts who reported back via radio or psychic link reported the need to be constantly focused to keep from slumping to the ground and crying. The Autobots had been one of the groups sent ahead to scout, leaving only Strongarm and Sideswipe to march behind the smaller creatures. The end of the canyon was in sight. The group would be reunited soon.

"We are her protégés," said Kagome, one of the two Alolan Ninetales that had been sent with the ponies. A dark, blue scarf hung around her neck with the symbol of the ice-types she was leading. Her sister wore a black scarf with the same symbol. "Lady Lorna and her mate are preparing to join the ranks of the Elder Council, and we are meant to take her place."

"I see. So the two of you must be quite powerful."

"For our age, yes," replied Sachiko, the second Ninetales. "Like most new recruits to the High Council, we are young. The new kings have decreed that Lorna's wisdom is needed on the Elder Council, and so we will replace her soon."

"Who are these kings of yours?" Superman asked as he returned to the group once more. He was bleeding from his lip, as if he'd been attacked.

"Are you alright?" Trixie asked, eyeing the superhero's injury carefully. "What attacked you?"

"A demon," Superman said. "But it was panicked and wounded. It's incapacitated now. Your princesses told me that Arceus had been placed into a deep sleep and sealed away during our flight to Oklahoma. If you don't mind me asking, who do you answer to?"

"The god's children, Dialga, Palkia and Giratina," Kagome replied. "They are not here, though. Why do you hide something from us, human? What did you learn from that demon?"

Superman paused a moment, as did the rest of the group.

"I was going to suggest we turn back while we can," Superman said, as he stared off across the horizon at something that the rest of his group couldn't see. "We're in a place called The Scar, on the outskirts of the Throne of Hell. It's a small barracks and torture pit. It's under attack now, but the demon wouldn't say by who. I had to be… forceful just to get it off of me. I don't know why you're here, but you won't find anything but demons and their masters in this realm."

"We know about the demons and the invasion," Rarity said, with a toss of her hair. "We were sent here to verify some things our psychics predicted. We were hoping to make a new friend, but… Well, we weren't sure where those portals led beyond a vague idea that they would take us to someone powerful who was being attacked by Unicron. We kind of just hoped they weren't leading the demons."

"They are leading the demons, and I don't think they would make very good friends."

"Yes, well… Clearly we were wrong. It's still a sketchy business, predicting things going on in other universes, though. I'm not so sure it was wise to expect a friend here, afterall."

"How did your psychics even predict what was going on here?"

"Unicron is apparently targeting our universe for consumption," Trixie said, scrunching up her face in disgust. "We're connected to him pretty closely, so our psychic-types were able to predict his movements from Equestria. Though, even that old Alakazam, Thomas, said it was more of a guess. Predicting the actions of gods is difficult too, apparently."

"That means we get to hunt down the attackers," Strongarm said, as she pulled her plasma rifle from her back and held it up before her. A flashing light appeared on her wrist and she pressed a button to open communications with her squad leader. "Come in, captain. This place is under assault and I have a feeling I know who it is."

"If you're guessing Unicron, then you're right," Bumblebee said through Strongarm's comms link and the radios that the ponies carried. "Come to my coordinates. Our orders are to push these Terrorcons back and gain a lay of the land."

"I don't think that the queen of this place is going to be very helpful to you," Superman said.

"That's fine," Trixie said as she brushed some dirt off of her cape. "We're prepared. We'll put up a fight and get the lay of the land around the throne. Those were our backup plans."

"Why would you need the lay of the land if you know that this place will never help you?"

"We'll let the princess explain that to you when we're done, Superman. Just trust us. We know what we're doing this time."

"Alright," Superman said, as he turned around in the air. "I'll go begin the push so our group can enter the barracks safely."

"Hey!" Sideswipe yelled. "Don't hog the action for yourself!"

Superman zoomed off without another word. Sideswipe transformed and was hot on his heels.

"I think I'll stay with you guys," Strongarm said as the battalion began to run. She transformed and drove ahead, her rifle now attached to her roof while two machine guns deployed from her hood. "By the way, how is Gilda doing?"

"She's doing fine," Rarity said. "She says 'hi' by the way. She wants to return to the front lines, but not for another week at the most. Her group took quite a beating."

"Understandable. It's a shame I wasn't allowed to help, though. I look forward to seeing her again, too."

"What are we looking at?" Pharynx said as he hovered just above a battlefield several miles from the one Bumblebee was observing. He was small compared to the demons and rusting Terrorcons that fought in the streets of hell below. His coloration allowed him to blend in with his surroundings. His changelings had elected to transform into the bug forms they had used to hide from the humans for the past few weeks. Atop each of their heads stood a psychic-type Pokémon so small they could ride on the changelings, even as insects. They had each taken a shrinking elixir that had been prepared by Zecora in order to stay hidden from human society during their stealth mission, and were now waiting for the effects to wear off.

"It's a battle that the demons here aren't prepared for," said the tiny Braixen that stood atop Pharynx's head. She was staring into the fire on her stick as she spoke. "This barracks is being overrun. Reinforcements are on their way, though."

"Who will win?"

"It could go either way, but the demons have the advantage of fighting on home turf. I sense a powerful presence behind this attack. It's faint, like whoever is watching this isn't fully invested and possibly not even here. I sense a powerful presence coming from further north, as well. Should the two clash, this realm may not survive. I don't think it will come to that, though."

"I don't think it's any of our business. We came here to make friends with the ruler of this land, but the moment I saw those demons on that farm I knew making friends was a bad idea."

"Why didn't you speak up?"

"Arguing with your allies in the middle of a battlefield only hurts your cause. Thorax wants me to be more friendly, too. We need to turn around and head back. This place isn't worth protecting. Let it fend for itself."

"Agreed," the Braixen said. "Lady Dorris only wanted information. Nothing more. We should observe a bit longer, though."

"Fine, but no one is to interfere in that fight down there. Defend yourselves if you have to, but keep a low profile otherwise. I won't have my changelings throwing their lives away like they did in Gotham, even if the fallen were ultimately revived. Did you get that message relayed to the others, Momiji?"

"I did, sir. They all agree," the Braixen paused for a moment, as if listening to a conversation. Though she wasn't a Delphox yet, her psychic powers had developed early. She could see glimpses of the future within the fire on her stick as well as any Delphox, and she could transmit telepathic images and messages when connected to a psychic circle. As such, she had been placed in the ranks of the psychic-type troops to be mentored by the Delphox that served under the Mewostic, Lady Dorris. "They want us to come to Bumblebee's position and help push the enemy back so we can make our way to the capital. Superman went ahead. It sounds like he's going to join the fight without us."

"So we're going with Plan B?" Pharynx said, half to himself. "Hmmm. It doesn't involve us fighting right now, which is good. Our numbers are far too small to do much."

"Will Plan B even work?" Momiji asked as she put out the flames on her stick and placed it back in the fluff of her tail. "It sounds a bit… reckless considering the amount of power I'm feeling from that city over there."

"We've got plenty of power ourselves," Pharynx said. "It'll work."

The ground below them suddenly lit up with light and violence that overshadowed the fighting currently taking place. One of the portals that the Terrorcons were coming through had suddenly widened immensely. A pair of massive cannons were sticking out of it atop the front of a tank. The tank drove through slowly, its size dwarfing everything in its vicinity. Terrorcons could be seen riding atop it, manning gun turrets or leaping from the vehicle to join the fray with swords and axes in hand.

"That thing's gotta be several thousand square miles," one of the changelings said, her voice low and awed.

"How can a machine that big exist?" said another changeling. "It's like a moving city! And there are lots of smaller robots moving around inside it."

"Are you psychic-types getting all this sent?" Pharynx asked, as he grimaced at the emerging titan. It wasn't even halfway out of the portal, but its overwhelming firepower was crushing the demonic resistance as easily as its massive treads.

"Yes, sir. They say there's something else going on, though. Something bigger, if you can believe it. Are you sure you don't want to be connected to the circle? You could hear what I'm hearing just as easily if we're allowed to transmit it directly into your mind."

"I don't like the idea of someone else in my head, but…" he sighed. "Fine. Let me talk to them."

A sudden buzzing filled his ears and he had to shake his head, causing Momiji to shriek and cling tightly to his left horn. He apologized and stopped to listen. After a moment, he realized that it wasn't in his ears but his mind. The buzzing slowly faded, to be replaced by frantic talk.

"What in the world is this… feeling?" Rarity's voice said through the psychic link. "It's like a violent despair welling up in me that I have to fight down just to keep going. Altaria, dears. Sing louder, please."

"Who is that coming out of the castle over there?" Trixie said, her voice smaller and more hushed than usual.

"I don't know, but I don't like him," said the calm voice of Sachiko, one of the Alolan Ninetales leading the ice-types in this miserable place. There was a hint of anger and desperation in her voice, as if forced into a corner by some monster that she was preparing to fight. "My fur is standing on end just looking at him. I can feel something even worse coming from the city beyond those steel walls in the distance. It's incredible…"

"Look at his countenance, sister," Kagome said, her voice shaking. "He's violence made flesh; war given form. How can anything be worse?"

"He's Ares, god of war of the Olympian Pantheon," Superman said, more calmly than the rest. "I have no idea what he's doing here, but he shouldn't be here at all. This isn't his realm. I find it difficult to believe that Mazikeen would let him roam about her domain unchecked."

"I am not unchecked, Superman," said a new voice that had suddenly intruded into the psychic circle. It was hot, like a blazing inferno that threatened to melt the minds of the group connected by the psychic-types. Momiji and the rest of the psychic-types in Pharynx's group were on their knees now, shaking uncontrollably, their faces contorted in terror. "I am here by Lady Mazikeen's request. She has her throne to worry about, you see. So many prominent demon families seek to take her power in the absence of Lucifer. She can't spare a moment to fight back this tide while dealing with them in her royal court."

"What's going on down there, Momiji?" Pharynx said, as he fought off the urge to try and shake the voice of Ares out of his head, which would have thrown his Braixen friend off. Below him, the battlefield had begun to glow with an angry, red light. Millions of armed and armored corpses began to rise from the dirt and mire of the hellscape to do battle with the invading robotic warriors.

"I don't know, sir," Momiji said, still shaking as she tried to force herself to her feet. She cradled her head in her paws and whimpered. "It… it hurts! His voice makes my head feel like it's going to explode!"

"Pharynx, darling," Rarity said through the psychic link. The fear was gone from her now. "Would you meet us, please? I have an idea."

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you're planning to talk to that 'Ares' guy," Pharynx replied.

"The presence of a strong warrior like yourself might make a difference. Just let Trixie and I do the talking, please."

"Fine, but if it goes south I'm calling in a portal home. We're not going to stay where we're not welcome, and we're not going to risk anymore than we have to."

"Do you have a basic memory of the land?"

"We've drawn a few simple maps. They should work."

"Then I agree with you. If this talk turns fruitless, we'll go home."

"Good."

Pharynx motioned for his changelings to follow him and they flew down to the main group together.

"Lord Ares," Rarity said as she and Trixie approached the god. Their group followed close behind, with Superman standing at the front. He stared Ares down, his fists clenching and unclenching as if preparing to fight but unsure of which tactic he should use first.

"No, I don't want to be your friend," Ares said, as he glowered down at the ponies, fire trailing in his path as he walked. "I wouldn't mind killing you to make a steed from your corpses, though."

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen," Trixie said, with a shiver. "We'll bail on this place first."

"You won't find friends in the Court of Mazikeen, either. Only death and suffering. Don't forget where you are, or who you talk to."

"You never make friends if you don't put out the effort," Rarity said. "What I want to know is, why are you helping this Lady Mazikeen? You don't strike me as the generous type. What do you get out of fighting for her?"

"War, of course. This is a conflict the likes I haven't seen in ages. I grow stronger with every blade that crosses, every shot fired, every body that falls dead to the ground."

"I see," Rarity said, scrunching up her face in disgust. "And what do you think of this 'Lady Mazikeen'? Is she really as bad as her realm seems to imply? What is her capital like?"

"Rarity…" Superman warned. "We went over this. Do you really want to side with someone whose duties include overseeing the torture and suffering of untold trillions?"

"I can still ask questions. Knowledge is power, afterall."

"Mazikeen will kill you if you set foot in her city. She doesn't care what you do out here, but if you make yourself into a bother she will show you no mercy. She has far more important things to worry about than you."

"He's right," Superman said, looking out over the roadways in the distance that led to the Throne of Hell. Long lines of armed slaves could be seen marching out of the capital to fight the invaders at The Scar. "Mazikeen doesn't care about you or any of us. She won't let you into her castle, and she'll kill you if you try to enter unannounced. If we had Etrigan we might stand a chance at gaining an audience with other great demons, but…"

"Etrigan could do nothing for you, Kryptonian," Ares said as he marched past the group. "Like I said, Mazikeen is working to keep her throne at the moment. Go if you like, but you have been warned."

"And you warn us because…?" Trixie asked, raising an eyebrow at the war god as her Blaziken friends flexed their talons. "Like Rarity said, you don't strike either of us as the generous type. Why even talk to us?"

"I have my reasons, little unicorn. Enter the castle and die, or leave here and live. You're choice."

"I think we'll take your advice and go home," Rarity said, as she turned to face the battle behind her. "I'm sure your employer would appreciate that, and of course you'll appreciate her good mood. We can help you tidy up a bit, though."

Ares grumbled, but gave no reply. The Terrorcons had been pushed back by the defenders, but reinforcements were coming from the second battle site that the Changeings had been scouting earlier. The city-sized tank was clearly visible over the horizon, its treads crushing an entire demon army as it moved ahead of the Terrorcon force.

"I thought you said we were going home?" Pharynx said under his breath as he trotted up next to Rarity.

"After a bit more information gathering," Rarity replied with a wink. "Besides, the Autobots are quite invested."

Pharynx sighed and rolled his eyes. The Autobots under Bumblebee could be seen tearing through demons and Terrorcons close to the portal. The soldiers of The Scar hadn't been inviting to the newcomers. They had turned on the Autobots the moment they had made themselves visible, and several dozen of them were running toward the main group, axes raised. Strongarm and Sideswipe withdrew their weapons and prepared to meet them.

"I don't need your help," Ares seethed, his golden blade erupting with fire as he spoke.

"We want to help, and so we shall," Rarity said as she began trotting off to join the battle, her Altaria flying overhead. "You can stand there and complain or you can fight, too. Your choice."

"Or I could kill you."

"Or you could lighten up and do the job that Mazikeen person hired you to do," Trixie said as she trotted past the god of war to catch up with Rarity. Buakaw and Namsak smirked at Ares as they followed.

"She has a point," Superman said, with a grin. The rest of their group was already charging into battle.

Ares turned on his heel and began marching into the distance, toward the oncoming titan and the army that ran across its surface.

"You'll all die in the end," Ares said, with a small laugh. "If Mazikeen doesn't kill you, Darkseid will. If not Darkseid, then Unicron. And if not Unicron, then me."

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

Superman watched the god march on, his undead soldiers slowly leaving their battles with the robotic horde to follow him. He sighed after a moment, then turned to join his new friends.


	4. Chapter 3

"Your battle lines are impressive, Lord Megatron," Princess Luna said as she flew above the Decepticon warlord. Megatron was in his tank mode, driving just behind his warriors. They stood ready, though no sign of the enemy was present.

"Many of my soldiers have been fighting for millennia," Lord Megatron said. "The elite of my armies have been fighting under me for millions of years. When we first formed, we were a force the likes of which this universe had never seen before. To this day, we dominate the battlefield wherever we go. Few true threats exist that we cannot utterly crush."

"Our society isn't so militant. We fight when we must, not before. Most disputes between ponies remain non-violent, as they should."

"Surely your world has dangers. You have weapons. There must be a reason for them."

"We've cultivated a peaceful society, though we have had our share of threats to face," Princess Celestia said as she flew alongside her sister. "Admittedly, our peacefulness has caused us some trouble in the past. There have been threats that have been… difficult to overcome."

"Your troops look war ready to me. Clearly you have learned from your mistakes and discarded your naive pacifism."

"We would rather be too peaceful than not peaceful enough, Lord Megatron," Princess Celestia said, as she eyed the Decipticon warlord critically. "But you're right. We have learned from our mistakes."

"How big is your army, princess?" Lord Megatron said, as he glanced up at the ponies. They were specks of white and midnight blue next to the gigantic Transformers.

"Big enough," Princess Luna said as they came to land just before the front line of Decepticons. "What my sister and I wish to see is the enemy's stronghold. Where is their leader located? You brought us deep into space, through a portal into your own universe, and there is no sign of the enemy here."

"Traveling into the Dead Universe with any significant force is difficult," Lord Megatron said. "It requires outfitting our soldiers with special devices to keep the universe itself from killing them. It would be best to seal it away, but that's not easily done. Our greatest scientific minds are working on a solution, but every attempt has been met with failure."

"Test runs, my liege," said a tall, cyclopean Decipticon that approached from behind the line. Megatron transformed as the soldier bowed to him. "With each failure we come closer to a solution. I have learned quite a bit in the last forty-eight hours, and I am ready for another attempt."

"You are given permission to make your attempt, Shockwave," Megatron replied. "I will lead your defense. We will take the princesses and their soldiers with us and let them see the nature of the enemy."

"As you command, my lord," Shockwave said with another bow to Megatron.

"We would rather discuss the enemy with you before sending our troops into harms way," Princess Celestia said. "We know some, from discussions with Lio Convoy. We don't know the battle conditions here, though. Lord Convoy claimed he was unaware of the details of your 'little project', as he put it."

"Though we are at peace with the other factions, tribalism within Transformer society is still as strong as ever," Lord Megatron said. "We all work towards the same goal through different means. We are not always forthcoming with information to one another, though."

"Where is a good place to discuss these 'Terrorcons' in private, then?" Princess Luna asked. "We're already doing our own investigations, but I'm sure you have much more knowledge than we do."

"Discussion is an inferior form of learning. I will take you to the front lines and let you learn firsthand."

"But…"

Megatron ignored her protests and transformed, this time into a large aerial bomber. With a shout, he spurred his Decepticons into action and they began the march to meet the soldiers of Unicron.

"The atmosphere on this planet is quite humid, majesty," Spitfire said as she flew alongside the princesses. Fresh bandages were visible beneath her flight suit, though she had refused the offer to stay home and rest. Many of her Wonderbolts had come as well, and they, too, wore bandages from the previous conflict in Gotham. Rainbow Dash was not among them, though. She had been convinced by her friends to recover in Ponyville, and had seen her fellow Wonderbolts off with some reluctance. "There's a lot of clouds to work with overhead. We could make some strong twisters with all that material."

"Good," Princess Celestia said. "Take your pegasi into the clouds and follow us. Give us tornado cover when we engage the enemy."

"Understood," Spitfire said. She saluted and flew off with two hundred pegasus ponies at her back. As soon as they entered the cloud cover, the sky began to darken. Flashes of lightning could be seen from time to time, as the ponies worked to strengthen the storm. It soon began to drizzle on the small army, the storm's intensity building with each passing moment, following the army wherever it went.

"You fight by manipulating the weather to your liking," Shockwave observed. He carried a heavy steel tower on his back, which he claimed was the instrument he would use to try and seal off the Dead Universe. The buttons and lights that covered its midsection glowed softly in the dreary atmosphere. "I think you will find that poor weather conditions aren't as effective against our kind as they are against the biologic opponents you have faced in the past."

"If that is true, then we will simply change our tactics, Shockwave," Princess Celestia said. "Though I doubt you have seen weather the likes of which we can produce."

"Let us hope it is enough. Our enemies know no pain or fear, only the will of Unicron."

"They will learn to fear us," Princess Luna said as she trotted forward. Four hundred guard ponies followed her, and before her went the Pokémon. The Tyrantrum, Lord Chompy growled in minor irritation as the rain fell on his head. The Mega Tyranitar, Lord Krush stomped alongside his friend, and growled a bit himself. The ground beneath them shook as his rock-types dug through the soft earth. The Articuno, Lady Lorna, gave commands to her ice-types as she flew just above the princesses. The Mega Audino, Lady Harmony, had her team of medics triple-checking their supply packs while a large force of normal-types surrounded them protectively.

Luna stopped just as they came to a wasteland filled with broken, robotic bodies. There were skulls from biologic life forms, though they resembled nothing the ponies or Pokémon had seen before. Several hundred rusted Transformers rose from the ground, their mouths dripping with some purple liquid.

"Our algorithms predict this is the place where the next incursion will appear," Shockwave told his lord through their private comms link. He began unchaining the heavy, steel tower he had been carrying as the Decepticons opened fire on the shambling Terrorcons. "The latest prediction, made just a moment ago, numbers the enemy at several hundred thousand. Our forces will not be sufficient. I have sent for reinforcements, Lord Megatron. Sixshot and his aerialbots will be here momentarily."

"Tell him not to hurry," Megatron said as he watched the ponies and their Pokémon allies march ahead of him. He smirked, marveling at how creatures so small could act with such confidence. "I want to see what our new friends can do, first."

"Understood. I will postpone his arrival just long enough to give us an idea of their capabilities, while ensuring that our purpose is not at risk."

"Lead the way, princesses!" Lord Megatron called out. "We will have your backs."

"His attempt to test us is worrisome, sister," Princess Luna said as she glanced back at the Decepticon warlord.

"I agree, sister," Princess Celestia replied. "If the other two leaders weren't so determined to keep us out of this battle, I wouldn't have agreed to Megatron's offer. I'm still not sure if he should be trusted. What do you think?"

"Lio Convoy did tell us that he is reformed. Our psychic-types haven't warned us about him, either. We knew we would meet him, but not what his plans were. Our Natu claim that there is a danger in following Megatron on this mission, but they don't believe that he is the source of this danger. It takes time for their visions to become clear once in a new universe, though. I don't like that he wouldn't strategize with us, but I want to believe that his intentions are pure."

"Then let us worry about the enemy before us for now," Princess Celestia said. She raised a hoof above her head as lightning thundered and the rain fell harder. Four space-bridges opened behind the army of reanimated robot corpses, and thousands of Terrorcons began marching through.

"Forward!" the princesses called as the Terrorcons ran to close the distance. The ponies and Pokémon ran, as well. Lord Chompy's jaws were the first to meet them. He charged headfirst into a massive dragon Terrorcon. The Transformer's jaws were large enough to envelope the Tyrantrum entirely, but not enough to save it. Chompy bit into its upper jaw and jerked his head downward, ripping half the monster's head off in the process. He spun in a circle, cutting the Terrorcon in half with his Dragon Tail attack. He gave a mighty roar as his dragon-type Pokémon fired Hyper Beam attacks in unison. Then he charged once more.

Lord Krush chuckled to himself as he watched his friend tear a hole in the enemy lines. He gave a mighty roar of his own and his rock-types erupted from the ground beneath the Terrorcons, shredding metal and wires as they went. Several flyers hovered overhead, the biggest of them a griffon Terrorcon. It darted down to the ground at incredible speed to stomp on the Mega Tyranitar with its two front feet. Krush stood unmoved as the rusted metal tore over him, his nigh-unbreakable body destroying the Terrorcon's claws.

The Terrorcon shrieked as it sent waves of electricity into the stumps of its front legs. Krush gritted his teeth as the electricity coursed through him, then he punched the monster into the ground, shaking the entire battlefield.

"Impressive," Lord Megatron said, as he casually walked up behind the ponies. "But there are more than simple drones in Unicron's army."

A massive space-bridge opened just as Lord Megatron finished talking. A black, rusted tank the size of a large town rolled through the portal, crushing the Terrorcon drones under its tracks as it went.

"That thing's larger than Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres combined!" Princess Luna said as their group stopped its advance to brace against the titan. "Were you expecting something so large to come through, Lord Megatron?"

"Not necessarily, but we have seen titans come through before. Naturally, we are prepared."

The princesses waited a moment for the Decepticon lord to continue as their soldiers engaged the now raging horde of Terrorcons.

"Well? Where are your preparations?"

"I would like to see how you handle this first," Lord Megatron replied, staring down at the princesses with a smug grin. "That titan is severely decayed, and quite undersized. Likely due to being destroyed and put back together haphazardly. I wonder, can you bring it down in one piece?"

"So, this was the 'danger' our psychics warned us about," Princess Luna said as she sighed in frustration.

Celestia sighed, as well. She watched as the Decepticons spread out and began forming defensive lines rather than continuing to follow her troops. She spoke to the psychic circle she was connected to and ordered them to map out the titan. Then she cast a spell to raise her voice above the din, making herself loud enough that the pegasus ponies in the clouds could hear her, as well.

"Enter the titan!" she cried. "Destroy the beast from the inside! Beat down the robotic monstrosities! Crush all opposition!"

The ponies and Pokémon joined together in a mighty cheer. The clouds twisted above them, and twin tornadoes tore through the sky to make landfall to either side of the titan. Lightning flashed, destroying large swaths of Terrorcons on the ground and leaving craters in their wake. Spears and pikes were thrown from the tornadoes at incredible speeds. They pierced the robots as the twisters came to brush up against the titan, tearing apart its rusted hull and ripping the smaller Transformers out from within it. The Terrorcons' sensors located the ponies manipulating the storm. They closed ranks and opened fire on the tornadoes, forcing the ponies to retreat back into the clouds. Yet the damage had been done.

"The tracks of the tank are ruined, majesty," Commander Fizzlepop said as she ran alongside the princesses. "Still, it moves forward. I don't think it can do so for much longer, though. If it's anything like our 'friends' back there, I suspect it will transform soon."

"Then we must board it before it does," Princess Celestia said. She cast her voice-enhancing spell once more and called out to her troops. "Let the Decepticons deal with the ones on the ground! We must take the titan from the inside if we're to take it down in one piece! Everypony, board that monstrosity now!"

The skies erupted with lightning once more. The pegasi were bringing destruction with them as they flew into the holes in the rusted titan's hull. They took the fight to the Terrorcons, targeting their joints and the vulnerable insides laid bare by rotting chassis with spears, axes and vials of lightning. The pegasus' size made them difficult to hit, and their speed allowed them to stay one step ahead of their opponents, even if only by a fraction of a second. They cleared off an area around a ramp that hung precariously from the titan's undercarriage. Earth ponies and unicorns surged past them, while the Pokémon fought to protect the army's flank.

"These things are huge!" Commander Fizzlepop yelled as she sent a Terrorcon staggering backward with an unstable blast of magic. A phalanx of earth ponies was struggling to push back against two severed, robotic arms. They huddled together, shields held before them, fighting to hold the line. "If not for our Pokémon friends, we'd be surrounded by now."

"If not for Rockhoof, we'd be crushed by now!" one of the earth pony guards yelled as he struggled against the pounding of a giant arm. Rockhoof stood in their center, towering above them. Each savage hit buckled his knees, but he always managed to stop himself before falling. His fellow earth ponies helped him brace against the force of the blow, and together they pushed the arm off only for the next one to come crashing down.

"Focus your fire!" Princess Celestia yelled as she and Luna joined the unicorns' volley of magical blasts. The princesses each chose an arm and shattered them with a single spell. "Push ahead! Stay strong, Equestrians!"

"Fighting opponents of steel is harder than fighting those of flesh, princess," Rockhoof said as he raised his shovel above his head and slashed a minicon in half. The tiny Terrorcon fell to pieces that twitched and tried to grab at the ponies as they charged past.

The halls were long and massive. They had been built for beings in excess of thirty feet tall, which made traveling through them difficult. This was made worse by the vast army of Terrorcons that roamed the halls. The ponies were beginning to get the hang of fighting these horrific robots. They were all rusted and decaying, exposing the wires and steel joints holding them together. It was a common theme among these monstrosities, though dismembering them didn't necessarily stop their movement.

The ponies slashed at the exposed joints with magically sharpened weapons. It was difficult cutting through the metal, but they soon gained a sense for which parts were most important for the Terrorcon's mobility and focused their attacks. Groups of unicorns dismantled Terrorcons piece by piece with telekinesis, while the sturdiest of them fought alongside the earth ponies and pegasi. Steel beams and thick tubing fell from the ceiling, blocking their path several times. Entire ceilings threatened to collapse on top of them, but they were able to escape into another room before they were buried.

More Terrorcons appeared out of every hole, pushing the ponies to fight their way through. More than once, they ran between the legs of the shambling horrors, choosing to avoid what battles they could when they could. They charged ahead, the Terrorcons closing ranks behind them to prevent their Pokémon friends from keeping up.

"Chompy!" Princess Luna called through the psychic link. The ponies had noticed when they had been separated from their friends, but the heat of battle was such that they had little time to think about it. "Where are you?"

"On the third floor, majesty," Lord Chompy said, his voice a guttural roar in the pony's head. "They've led us astray. We're lost, but the Natu with us are trying to find a different route."

"Krush, Lorna, Harmony! Report!"

"We are in a similar situation, majesty," Lady Lorna said. "This place is astonishingly massive. Our own Natu aren't sure where we are, or where to go from here. The psychic outline they drew shifts with each passing moment as the titan rots and its interior crumbles. Then there are the little, dead-eyed robots that drip liquid as they move. There are thousands of them, constantly building and rebuilding. I don't know if they're intentionally drawing us off course, but they are doing it all the same."

"The exit is still clear, majesties," Lady Harmony said, her voice strained and tired. "My normal-types are holding the line, though it's not easy. I've seen a few jets fly overhead; Decepticons I believe. Other than that, their lines haven't moved."

"We're barely inside this thing twenty minutes and we're already separated," Princess Luna said, biting her lip angrily as she blasted another Terrorcon through a nearby wall. "We can't keep this up forever, Celestia."

"We'll find a way to reconnect," Princess Celestia said. "It'll just take some time."

The group continued to travel through the necro-titan, fighting their way through room after room. Progress was slow. According to the periodic reports from the Pokémon, they were making faster progress but weren't any closer to understanding the layout of the robot. It wasn't just the minicons who were changing the rooms, but the titan itself seemed to change its insides in order to confuse its invaders. After two hours of fighting through the monstrosity, the titan suddenly shuddered and slowed.

"Is it transforming?" Captain Spitfire said as she landed next to the princesses. Fourteen Terrorcons were being torn apart by the ponies behind them, while several hundred minicons rolled into the room, their arm canons firing at the ponies in short bursts.

"No," Princess Celestia said, looking around her at the rotting corridor. Laser fire bounced off of the shields of the guardponies surrounding her and her sister, while groups of ponies charged in to cut the minicons down in close range. "I don't feel a change in orientation. I suspect we'd feel the entire thing shifting if it were transforming. I think the Decepticons have decided to start fighting this thing off from the outside."

"I don't like them, sister," Princess Luna said as she began to treat the wounded that had been taken out of the fight. "Their name is an obvious red flag. Megatron has done nothing more than throw us to the wolves."

"These enemies were going to be a challenge to begin with," Princess Celestia said as she looked around, planning their next move. "They're different from the creatures we've faced before. Learning how to deal with them is vital. A good ally would not send their friends into a situation like this without careful preparation and support. Megatron has given us neither. I believe he is trying to make a point at our expense."

"Majesty!" one of the Natu yelled urgently from his perch atop a pegasus pony guard. "Move!"

"Wha-?" Celestia said. She sidestepped just in time to see the ceiling begin to melt from above them. Molten metal dripped down, falling next to Celestia to smoke on the floor. The ponies looked up to see a canon several floors above them. Light gathered around it as it pulled in the molecules from the air to superheat, condense and fire. "Everypony, move!"

She used her magic to push her ponies out of the way as fast as she could, while Luna lifted the wounded and carried them to safety. The Decepticon either didn't notice them, or didn't care as he fired a second shot into the titan. This one made a hole straight through the beast, melting a portion of its right side tracks. The titan lurched, but kept moving.

"Hold your fire!" Princess Celestia yelled. "We're friendly!"

"Oops," the Decepticon called back. "Didn't see you little things down there! Name's Sixshot, and I've got orders to kill this thing. The troops under my command are planting bombs at key positions on this titan. I'm just slowing it a bit. This thing is gonna blow up in about ten minutes. You'd better get out before then."

He pushed a button on his gun and it began charging again.

"I demand you cease fire! Allow us more time to pull out!"

"You've been here over an hour and you're not even close to fulfilling your mission," Sixshot said as he opened fire once more. The ponies ran out of his way, barely avoiding his third plasma beam as it melted through the same hole at a different angle to pierce the tank tracks again. "If you're not strong enough to handle this fight, then you shouldn't be a part of it."

"Move out, everypony!" Princess Luna yelled, angrily. "We'll have a talk with Lord Megatron when this is over."

"That's great!" Sixshot yelled back as the ponies began running back the way they had come, avoiding every fight they could as they hurried to escape the titan in time. "I'm under his orders, afterall. I bet he just forgot you were here! No hard feelings?"

He laughed as the ponies ran on.

"How did it go, majesties?" Lord Megatron said with a smug grin.

"You sent us in without any information!" Princess Celestia yelled, flying up to stare the Decepticon warlord in the eye. "You said you would have our backs, but you didn't follow us in!"

"Entering the titan was a poor way of bringing it down when other options were available. Sixshot was on his way, and he excels at killing the weaker, more heavily rotted titans. I simply held my position and waited for his arrival."

"You told us nothing of 'Sixshot'!" Princess Luna yelled. One of her wings was bandaged from a blast she had taken during the fight to escape the titan. "If we could have accomplished your goal without entering that monster you should have told us! You held back vital information which led to many of our soldiers being harmed in an unnecessary battle!"

"Was it unnecessary?" Shockwave interjected. "You gained valuable battle information, did you not? You've worked out how to bring your foe down, and know you are capable. Though your tactics are inferior to ours, at least you can do some good."

"We could have learned such things with a proper discussion," Princess Celestia said, scowling at Shockwave. "You could have helped us gain information on what we were to face before we faced it!"

"Discussion is an inferior form of learning. Doing a thing, through trial and error, is best. I can run through millions of scenarios in a second and pull out the one most likely to succeed. Yet, even my best laid plans have gone awry due to elements outside of my control. The battlefield is full of such elements. Knowing how to deal with them comes from experience, not theorycrafting."

Lord Krush stomped toward Shockwave, his fists clenched to strike at the Decepticon. Shockwave looked down on the Mega Tyranitar, aimed his arm cannon, and opened fire. Two minicons separated from his legs, taking advantage of Krush's momentary distraction to attach themselves to Krush's back and electrocute him. He screamed in pain and anger, swinging at the minicons to try and pull them off.

"Your carapace is made of an unknown material," Shockwave said as he continued to fire upon the rock-type leader. Krush turned to let the next salvo hit the minicons, forcing them to separate from him and return to Shockwave before their master could fire again. "Yet no armor is without…"

Shockwave stopped mid-sentence as his legs were knocked out from under him by a swing from Krush's tail. Krush panted heavily from the electrocution, but his hide was undamaged.

"We have four dead and fifty-six seriously wounded!" Krush roared. He punched Shockwave, sending him crashing through several dozen Decepticons before he came to a stop. "That's just among my rock-types! You sent warriors to dismantle the titan when you first wanted us to take it whole! Sixshot nearly killed the honored princesses and their soldiers in the process! I will not be talked down to by some wretched, backstabbing steel box on legs!"

"I agree with Lord Krush," Princess Luna said, her eyes narrowing at the Decepticon warlord. Shockwave watched the ponies and Pokémon closely, as if weighing the logic in attacking again. "Our healing magic has kept our casualties at zero, though our wounded are more than three times that of Lord Krush's soldiers. If we had known that the Terrorcons could so expertly separate us we would have been better prepared. Our original plan involved our pony healers as a field asset for both sides of our forces, while Harmony's team was funneled the most gravely injured where they would be treated in a heavily defended location. Without the proper information on the titan's ability to confuse invaders, that tactic was thrown out the window."

"And you blame us for giving you no information, and thrusting you into the heart of a vicious battle without our aid," Lord Megatron added, kneeling down to look the princess in the eyes, his voice slow and condescending. "What you engaged in was small compared to what awaits you in future battles. We are warriors born, and have been for millions of years. We have technology that can shape and mold the very fabric of reality. Whispers of our presence make empires tremble, and send star systems into panic. We are the supreme life forms of our universe, and we are less than gnats compared to Unicron! Your forces seem… inadequate, at best, to handle the threat posed by the brother of Primus. I imagine this is why Optimus and Lio refused to take you into battle. I will inform them that their decision was the correct one."

"And we will think better of allying ourselves with you in the future," Princess Celestia said, as she turned her back on Megatron. She cast a spell and opened a portal home.

"It's a shame, but it looks like we're on our own for now," Princess Luna said as she fell into step with her sister.

"At least we were able to get a good idea of the enemy," Princess Celestia said as she followed her troops back into the plains beneath Canterlot. "Lord Convoy and Lord Optimus wouldn't give us that much. They would only loan us the squads serving under Bumblebee and Windblade as guardians."

"They think us smaller and weaker. Perhaps we are, but that doesn't change the fact that we are in this fight as much as they are. An ally who holds our hooves like we're children isn't doing us any favors."

"Agreed. We'll continue to accept aid from Bumblebee and Windblade for as long as they are willing to give it, but we will not rely on the Transformer lords. Our next step is to find out where the enemy's stronghold is and plan our attack."

"Let us see if our friends have heard back from Discord then. I do hope he's getting along well with Charles and Korish."

"Goodness knows they have enough in common," Princess Celestia said, with an exasperated sigh. "Troublemakers, all of them. Let us better hope that the ponies we sent to direct them are doing well."

"Agreed," Princess Luna said with a small laugh.


	5. Chapter 4

"A-are you sure your 'magic' is going to work?" Windblade asked as she looked at the portal to the Dead Universe Discord had just torn in the fabric of reality.

"What? You don't trust me?" Discord asked, feigning innocence.

"It's not that I don't trust you, so much as I don't trust magic. You said your 'spell' would protect me in the Dead Universe, but I don't feel any different. I think we should test this 'spell' of yours with some simulations, first."

"Nonsense, you'll be fine!" Discord said as he raised his claw. It was suddenly twice the size of Windblade. The Transformer gasped in surprise as she was lifted off the ground and thrown through the portal.

"Discord!" Shining Armor yelled. "You could have warned her first!"

"I could have," Discord said as he brushed his beard with his paw, a sly smile curving his lips. "But where's the fun in that?"

He leapt through the portal without another word. The prince and princess shared an uncertain look, sighed, and followed Discord through, their Crystal Guard ponies close behind.

"Discord!" Windblade yelled. "You could have warned me first!"

"Yes, yes, I know," Discord said as he floated above the Cityspeaker with a smug grin on his face. "We've released a number of adventurers into the wilds out here. I wonder if they've gotten their little base camp set up yet?"

They were in a large, lush swamp surrounded by vegetation. The sky was dark and sunless. The only light came from some luminescent plants and a pair of moons hanging in the sky above.

"Isn't it supposed to be daytime here?" Shining Armor said as he looked up at the sky in wonder. He looked for signs of a sun, but found none. "I've never heard of moons that emit light on their own."

"Those aren't moons, prince," Windblade said. She gave Discord one last, disapproving glare before turning her attention to the sky. "Those are planetbots made by Unicron. Primus is the only limit to the power of the Chaos Bringer. They balance each other out in every reality where they both exist. Primus is dead in this reality, though. Killed by his brother."

"So, where is this Unicron?" Discord said as his eyes turned into giant binoculars so he could see the planetbots more clearly. He popped out of view for a moment, then popped back just as suddenly. He did this four more times before stopping. "I want to find him, and normally I get what I want just by wanting it. I can't find him, though! No matter how much I want to find him, I appear somewhere he's not."

"He's blocked himself off," Windblade replied. "He's hiding. After absorbing so many different realities, and killing the versions of Primus therein, other universes have started taking notice. Ours is the only one doing anything about it, currently. The version of Primus that lives in our universe is Cybertron itself, and he's well aware of what his brother is doing."

"So he knows that we're looking for him?" Princess Cadance said.

Windblade didn't respond immediately. She turned left and stepped onto a ledge that overlooked this part of the swamp, looking away from the ponies as if unsure how to explain her thoughts. The trees here were far larger than she was. Their roots grew up out of the ground in places, each loop dwarfing the Camian Cityspeaker.

"He knows that the children of Primus are looking for him, majesty. He knows that we have Primus' blessing, and that his brother grows more powerful with each universe he kills. Thanks to the technology built by our greatest scientists, powered by the Matrix of Leadership, the Primus of our universe is able to absorb the essence of all those versions of himself that are killed by the Unicron who rules the Dead Universe. Just as Unicron grows more powerful with each version of himself that he merges with, so does Primus. Unicron fears Primus, but he doesn't fear you. I doubt he knows your plotting against him, and if he does, he likely doesn't care."

"Good," Princess Cadance said as she and Shining Armor led their troops behind Windblade. "We are easy to underestimate, and it normally turns things in our favor. It's an advantage we'll gladly take."

The group climbed up one of the nearby trees. It was large enough that Windblade could casually walk upon its limbs, with room to spare. They traveled along the tree limbs, their footsteps the only sound in the eerily silent swamp.

There was a large dirt road several miles from their location. More swamp extended to either side of it as far as the eye could see. As they left the trees to follow the road, they were met with the roar of an engine. A bright, blue motorcycle drove up to Windblade and stopped.

"It's good to see you're safe, Chromia," Windblade said as her friend and bodyguard transformed. "Any good findings?"

"There's something on this planet but we're not sure where it is," Chromia responded. She motioned toward the sky. "We think that there's a base interacting with the planetbots in orbit. We've intercepted encrypted radio waves sent to the planet, but we cant decipher them yet and nothing has been sent back out. If a base is here, it's either not responding to the signals or its responding in a way we don't understand yet."

"What have our bright, young adventure ponies found?" Princess Cadance asked.

"There's no life on this planet aside from the plants," Chromia said, looking down at the ponies with some hesitation, as if she wasn't sure if she should take them seriously or not. "This place is perfectly safe. There's not a single threat found, yet. If anything ever lived here before, it was killed when Unicron came."

"We can use those planetbots to find Unicron's base," Windblade said. "They have to be in touch with the Chaos Bringer somehow. They're his servants, afterall. If we can board them, then we can use them to our advantage."

"Discord, would you take us up there, please?" Princess Cadance asked. Discord had stayed in the back as he followed the group. He had been lost in thought, transmuting various plants into random objects as he moved.

"Hmmm?" Discord said, still half-distracted by something the rest of them couldn't see. "I feel something… strangely familiar here. There's the feeling of chaos all about this place, but no magic. I sense it everywhere I look, but I can't put my claw on its source. While Unicron is the obvious answer, I feel like this world could do with a bit more exploring, princess. There's no telling what we could find."

"He does make a good point," Prince Shining Armor said as he removed some blank paper and a quill from his saddlebags. "How are Torri and Rose doing on mapping out this place? They were overseeing it, weren't they?"

"You mean the little mole thing and the big, blue rhinoceros thing? They've been digging in the ground, trying to map out the planet underneath us. Apparently, there's a giant underground cave system that goes down for miles. They haven't found any sign of an end to it, so far. Meadowbrook and Fluttershy have been overseeing the pony adventurers mapping out the surface. I believe Meadowbrook has been brewing potions with Zecora, too."

"Good. There's plenty of edible plant life here, we've got a base of operations, and we've got our best healers on standby. What's more, there are no enemies to fight right now. We can explore in peace while we plan our next move."

"I hope you're right, dear," Cadance said as she flew up in the air for a quick peek above the trees. Twelve pegasus guards followed her. It took them several minutes to return. Cadance looked confused and slightly worried as she hovered at eye level with the Transformers. "It would be nice if there weren't any enemies to fight right now, but something feels wrong here. I don't sense chaos like discord does, but something just feels… I don't know…"

"So what do you think we should do?" Shining Armor asked.

"I'd like to find out why those planetbots keep sending signals to this world, despite the lack of replies," Cadance said. "Chromia, I know it's wild speculation right now, but is it possible that this world is a planetbot, too?"

"If it is, then we can't tell," Chromia said. "Brainstorm is busy testing all sorts of devices I don't understand, but he seems to think this is a simple biosphere. I think your two psychic friends are busy trying to make sense of our situation. Or else they're just moping up in the high atmosphere. We haven't spoken since we got here. You could ask them what they think. Most necrotitans are still sentient, even if they are a bit confused sometimes. Rusted brain modules don't normally function efficiently."

"I'll leave the setup to you for now, Shining," Cadance said as she landed next to her husband and gave him a quick nuzzle. "I think I'll go and have a talk with Joan and Charles."

"Of course," Shining Armor said as he returned his wife's affections. "I'll have everything set up when you get back."

Cadance nodded and took to the sky once more, her pegasus guards following behind.

"See you there," Discord said, with a distracted wave of his paw that transformed the nearest tree into a giant, dancing teapot filled with barking, paper mache puppies. He was floating slowly upward now, staring at the two planets in the sky. They were a pair of pale blue orbs, shining with a sinister light.

Princess Cadance had to fly high up into the atmosphere to reach the Mega Gardevoir and her Mewtwo companion. Charles was in his Mega X form, as he had been since returning from the Throne of Arceus with the Guardians of Harmony. Many of the low class soldiers had embraced his return. To them, he was a powerful figure who had lost his way. When faced with the knowledge that they would be sent to fight the armies of unspeakably powerful gods, the majority of God's Breath were happy to have any help they could get.

However, there was a significant number of Pokémon who wouldn't forgive Charles so easily. They were the ones who had sought out the wisdom of the Slowking College to learn of their struggles on Octarius and Battleworld. Though deeply saddened, most of God's Breath had been satisfied to know that their friends and family had died honorably in combat with dangerous foes. They knew Charles had turned on them, but the details weren't important. They had set about the business of rebuilding; of picking up the pieces left in the wake of the destruction the war had caused. Yet some of them had wanted to know why the war had been caused, and the events that had unfolded during it. These Pokémon had come to hate Charles, and weren't so trusting of his sudden redemption.

"I'm sorry," Joan said as she hovered in the air next to Charles. "I didn't realize so many of my lieutenants held such a grudge against you."

"Can you blame them?" Charles said, his voice barely above a whisper as he stared out at the stars. The planetbots were even more visible here, high above the clouds. The two Pokémon could almost make out the machined plating that covered their bodies. Unlike the hordes of rusted Terrorcons that made up the endless armies of Unicron, these bots appeared pristine and undamaged.

"I can't really say I do," Joan said. "Medusa seems to be chief among them. She's rallied my fairy-types against you, and Bartholomew's let her do the same to his water-types. I had to remove her from command to restore order. I won't have her sowing chaos in my ranks, but I can't overrule Bartholomew's decision to take her in."

"But you know she's right to hate me. I know she's right to hate me. I also know that I was right about Infinite Energy, but wrong in the steps I took to address it. I've failed my cause, and proven that Pokémon can be just as cruel as humans. Be glad you weren't there for the stories shared to me by my supporters. I've led them to do some truly disgraceful things."

"You have," Princess Cadance said as she came to hover next to the two Pokémon. The winds of the high atmosphere were calm here. The princess rode the jet streams with little effort. "Thanks to Celestia and Luna, we know the basics of what transpired."

"The ponies of Equestria have been extremely kind to me," Charles said as he and Joan bowed to Cadance. "You're a very forgiving people. I am fortunate to have you on my side."

"We are very forgiving, and you are fortunate to have us. Everyone deserves a second chance, and some even deserve a third."

"What brings you here, princess?" Joan asked, courteously. "We haven't been shirking our duties, I assure you. We've been commanding our troops telepathically, while searching for a place to attack Unicron from. It's hard to sense worlds so far away, but we think we've found an active base of operations several star systems from here."

"That's certainly something to look into. I came to ask you about this planet, though. It seems incredibly strange. The planetbots in the sky are sending signals to it, but nothing is being sent back. I want to know your thoughts on this."

"There is a mind within this world," Charles said. "I don't know how to speak to it. Neither Joan, nor I can make contact with it. We believe it's in pain, but we don't know why. We don't even know what it is."

"And what of the future? What do you see there?"

"We're in a universe of death, princess," Joan said, softly. The Mega Gardevoir looked out at the void of space and shivered. "The future is a swirl of death and chaos. I can see little else."

"Maybe that's what was so off-putting about this place," Discord said as he floated into view. "Something felt incredibly wrong here, and now I know. Chaos… and death. I don't normally mix the two. I think we should talk to that mind you were feeling, though. Which direction is it in?"

"Down," Charles said, pointing toward the planet below. "It's in the center of the earth."

"Down we go then!" Discord said. With a poof of magic, he transformed into a large boulder and dropped through the thin, transparent layer of clouds beneath their feet.

"Is he… will he be alright?" Charles said, as he watched in surprise as Discord fell.

"He'll be fine," Princess Cadance said, with a small, amused smile. "At least he didn't turn us into rocks, too. Let's follow after him."

She turned on the wind and began to descend back through the clouds. Joan gave a small laugh. Charles scratched his head, unsure of what to make of the scene. Then they followed the princess and Discord.


	6. Chapter 5

"We've dug down fifteen miles, majesty," Lady Torri said as she tapped the ground impatiently with her left foot. Groups of Chinchou lit up the enormous caves and tunnels alongside ponies carrying lamps filled with luminescent flowers from the trees on the surface. "We diverted a river and flooded a tunnel we made so the sea ponies and the water-types can move through more freely. Then we connected it to an underground lake we found so they can continue traveling downward. We've got ten teams of Quagsire, Marshtomp and Swampert expanding the flooded tunnel while searching for more water. We've also got fifty teams of assorted ground-types digging further downward. I've got 'em moving as fast as I can, but there's a long way to go. It's a big job, and I mean big!"

"I could just take us there, you know," Discord said, as he flashed a frustrated glare at Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor. Windblade and Chromia were walking next to the line of ponies nearby, happily conversing with the much smaller creatures.

"We don't know what sort of place 'there' is," Shining Armor said. "It could be dangerous. It's best to approach this slowly and gather information as we move."

"It'll take forever that way! Not even our giant, metal friends could make that trip in any reasonable amount of time at the rate we're currently going. Digging tunnels for that river takes days, and we don't know how much further down this cave system even goes. I could bring us just before the compound and we could gather information to our heart's content! I'll even bring that lake."

"What compound are you talking about?"

"The obvious compound at the center of this whole planet! I mean, we're in a universe ruled by evil robots. There's got to be some kind of hi-tech 'something' down there."

"I hope that's all that's down there," Princess Cadance said. "Shining Armor is right. Let's make our way to this compound normally, without teleportation magic. Princess Skystar isn't as… accustomed to your abilities as some of us are. This is also her first major outing. I'd like to give her a good, successful experience."

"Of course, princess," Discord said. He bowed to Cadance, then disappeared, leaving only his mouth. "I'll go along with 'normal' this time, while I get to know Princess Skystar."

His mouth vanished after the last word, and he was gone.

"He won't do anything too crazy, right?" Prince Shining Armor asked as the line of troops continued to move.

"Fluttershy will rein him in, probably," Princess Cadance said, though she wasn't quite sure of it herself.

"It's so eerie here," Princess Skystar said as she swam through the flooded tunnel. It was large enough for four Wailord to comfortably swim down it side-by-side, and full of plant life. The roots of the massive trees aboveground seemed to stretch on for miles belowground.

"It is," Fluttershy said as she and Meadowbrook floated downstream on a large raft. A group of Mudkip was pulling them. They chattered happily as they swam through the muddy water. "But it's beautiful, too. The trees give us clean air, even down here. It's almost like somepony made this place to be explored."

"I think you're right, Fluttershy," Meadowbrook said. She had been gathering samples of the plants since they had arrived, and had taken extensive notes on them. "Somepony did make this place to be explored. But who did it? And why? If this is a universe where only evil machines live, why is it made for organic creatures like us to move through?"

"Oh, I just can't wait to see it!" said an excited voice from the water. Discord's face had appeared on the surface, a mischievous grin spread ear to ear. Meadowbrook scowled, Fluttershy giggled, and Skystar jumped out of the water in surprise. She did a back flip and landed with a splash, hiding behind several of her guards as she watched the Draconequus materialize from the water's surface. "I know it's a giant metal ball, but what do you think is inside it? I'm hoping for a holographic, shape shifting fruitcake that sings."

"Have you seen what's down there?" Princess Skystar asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. She moved out from behind her guards to cautiously approach Discord.

"I have," Discord said as he floated into the air to fly in circles above her. The walls changed colors with each pass he made until some of the ponies and Pokémon began to feel sick.

"Discord?" Fluttershy said. She was digging in her saddlebags, pulling out vials of anti-nausea medicine. Meadowbrook huffed angrily as she helped a sea pony adventurer take a drink, glaring at Discord as she moved from one pony to the next. "You're making some of our friends feel queasy. Could you please keep the walls a single color?"

"Oh, yes," Discord said, quickly changing the walls back to their original brown, earthy hue with a wave of his paw. "Sorry. I was just empathizing with Princess Skystar's excitement. I feel it, too. Which is why I couldn't help myself but to go and see what's down there before everypony else. I even expanded this tunnel and added to the water supply. Bartholomew and Medusa took their soldiers on ahead, along with some of the more eager sea pony adventurers."

"I don't foresee anything good coming from the core of this planet," Joan said as she and Charles materialized in the air above the water to fly alongside the raft. "Bartholomew is a cautious one. He won't attack without us. Still, it feels darker and darker the further down we go."

"You can feel the emotions of this 'mind' you claim is here, yet you can't see the future because of all the death and chaos in this place?" Discord asked, skeptically.

"We can see glimpses of possibilities," Charles explained. "We see how the future might unfold, and try to choose the most likely events. It's harder to do in a place we have little experience in unless we're given a chance to observe the timeline. To understand which path the future might take, you need to know the patterns of history."

"So you get these glimpses of what the future 'might' do and feel out which one you think is the best path? Sounds a bit sketchy, especially when each new universe you enter is full of so many different feelings. All these places we've visited have very different historical 'patterns'."

"That must make it so hard to see the future," Skystar said, sympathetically. "Your job sounds very taxing, but also kinda exciting! You can see so many different possibilities! It must be fascinating to think about it all."

"It is fascinating," Joan said with a friendly smile. "Some futures look wonderful, even if they don't come to pass. Others are terrible and frightening. Seeing the future is easier when done in a place familiar to the seer; a place where they can feel some comfort and stability."

"What we see now is simply the state of this universe," Charles said with a grimace. "It is static. Dead. Those feelings, combined with the chaos that sits at the heart of this realm, threaten to cloud the future of our little army."

"Is it going to be like this everywhere we go?" Discord asked. He dived back in the river with a splash that made the water giggle like a group of schoolphillies. "I think Celestia's psychics have had some trouble, too."

"How do you know that?" Meadowbrook asked. "Do they need help?"

"Not now. It's over. I popped into that universe earlier when I was looking for Unicron. She and Luna were having quite the row with a warlord named Megatron. It sounds like they had some sort of trouble. There were a great many wounded, but no deaths. Those poor little Natu did a good enough job of predicting danger to keep their friends alive, though they got a bit lost in that titan. It helped that their opponents were falling apart all on their own, too. Lord Krush claimed some his soldiers had died, but I think he was lying. There were four rock-types hidden deep under the ground, waiting and watching the Decepticons. And there was something else interesting! Megatron's shadow was moving on its own when I left. The Decepticons were too busy arguing with Celestia and Luna to notice, I think."

"Dorris has kept her best psychics in God's Breath," Joan said. "She had a dream of some terrifying bat creature fighting a pair of ominous shadows a week ago. Her visions have been filled with darkness ever since. She's commanding one hundred psychic circles in an attempt to figure out what's going on. Dorris offered to go herself and leave the Alakazam in charge, but the princesses insisted she stay behind and discover the meaning of her dream."

"Sounds a bit fishy, to me," Discord said, as a pair of trout popped out of his ears and fell into the river. Skystar clapped and cheered as the trout swam by. Discord bowed graciously at her appreciation of his trick. "They made the best of what they were given, but it would have been better with more experienced seers. What do your new kings think?"

"They're going along with Princess Celestia's wishes," Charles said. "Celestia wants to cut off her universe's connection to the Dead Universe and eliminate the primary threat before going forward. That's why we're targeting Unicron."

"Why not just enter Bulk Space, then? We can cut off Unicron's tie to it from there."

"Can you enter bulk space and do that, Discord?" Fluttershy asked, hopefully.

"Not without getting lost…" Discord admitted. "It's a bit confusing in there. Everything's so big, and I'm normally so small in comparison. I could change sizes to fit better, but then I feel all fat and bloated. I wandered around for one hundred years like that the last time I tried it, and still never found what I was looking for."

"What were you looking for?" Meadowbrook asked, still eyeing Discord warily.

"I honestly don't remember. It's possible that it never existed in the first place. I think that's the ultimate conclusion I came to, but I digress."

"Dorris gave us one, unified vision with her psychic circles before we left," Joan said. "One that Charles and I helped her lead. There is something important in this star system. Coming to this world has led Charles and I to believe that it is here."

"All the more reason to get to down to this giant, metal ball Discord mentioned, right?" Princess Skystar said, excitedly. She did another back flip, landing in the water several yards away. Then she popped her head above the surface and smiled. "Let's go! We should join the others as quickly as possible!"

"I think it's best if I don't," Charles said, hesitantly. "I'll stay behind and keep watch."

"But… you should get to see what's down there, too!"

"I've seen it through telepathy. I don't need to see it with my eyes. Thank you, though."

"I'll stay with you," Joan said. She put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

"If you're fine with stayin' then we'll go on ahead," Meadowbrook said. "Zecora's with the prince and princess. I hope you remembered to make their tunnel go all the way down too, Discord."

"I hope I did, too," Discord said, innocently. Then he transformed into a sea pony to swim alongside Skystar and her guards down the river.

"Are you sure he's reformed," Meadowbrook asked Fluttershy.

"Oh yes," Fluttershy said. "He's definitely reformed, though he still likes to cause a little trouble from time to time. Chaos is in his nature, but nopony ever gets hurt."

"That doesn't make me feel much better," Meadowbrook said, as she reached in her bag, removed a cask of apple cider and took a long drink.

"Royce, what are you thinking?" Medusa said as she swam beside the Toxicroak. He was one of the few non-water-types that could keep up with the water-types and sea ponies in their domain. He loved swimming, and his powerful limbs moved him with incredible dexterity. He was young though, and he always had a mischievous grin on his face.

"Nothing, champion," Royce said. That was his go-to excuse. He always had some sort of trouble planned, though it was normally harmless. "Just wondering when the others will catch up. The prince and princess are way back there. Torri's ground-types didn't get the help from Discord that we got."

"I don't trust him," said a burley Poliwrath that swam a few feet ahead. Like many of the Pokémon in the armies of God's Breath, he wore clothing that displayed his alignment. His happened to be a long, red cape with the water-type symbol on the back.

"Are you still mad, Mario?" Royce asked. "It was just an innocent prank!"

"He turned my fists into beach balls and deflated them!"

"You got better, though," said a smug Seismitoad to Royce's right.

"It was awful!"

"Hey," Royce said, swimming ahead to put an arm around Mario's shoulders. "How about Conor and I help you pull a prank on him? Would that make you feel better?"

"Yes," the Poliwrath said, sullenly. "A little bit."

"We'll get right on that soon as we figure out what's in the round, metal ball he said was at the end of this tunnel," the Seismitoad named Conor said. He rolled over and began a relaxing backstroke, his fellow water-types swimming past him in every direction. "You'd think Lady Joan and Lord Charles would be able to tell us without this trip to the center of the world, wouldn't you?"

"Don't call him 'Lord' Charles," a Politoed said. He was swimming next to Conor, his angry scowl mimicking Medusa's, though the Primarina had chosen not to focus her gaze on Conor.

"I can call him what I want to, Luigi," Conor said, gulping in water and spitting it in the Politoed's face. "We're soldiers, not thought police."

"He's a monster!" Luigi said as he splashed water back at Conor. "I don't care if he says he's fighting for us now, he's killed us! He's killed humans! He did incredible damage to our society by rejecting King Siebold's kindness and embracing Dark Arceus. He even let himself become a vessel for Dark Arceus!"

"Spending too much time in the halls of the Slowking, eh?" Royce said, with a sly grin. "Those guys might be smart, but too many lectures at once will warp your mind. That's a lot of info for us non-genius Pokémon to take in at once."

"Are you saying the Slowking are wrong about the events on Battleworld and Octaria?" Medusa said, raising an eyebrow at the Toxicroak.

"No, champion. I'm just saying that they give a lot of information at once. It's in their nature to ramble on and obsess over details for hours on end. That makes it easy for some Pokémon to interpret that information emotionally, rather than rationally. When there's so much to absorb, it's easy to cherry pick specific details."

"I didn't sit through the Slowking's lectures on Battleworld and Octaria before going to Gotham," Medusa said, looking ahead in an effort to keep from glaring Royce down. "I heard stories from others, but when we returned I focused on becoming Champion to honor my late husband. I never considered revenge, until I saw what he'd done to Lady Welshi. It made the stories much more personal, and the more I thought about it the more I came to hate Charles. You know he was responsible for a great many deaths on our end. He controlled the Forces of Destruction and set them against us, in accordance with the will of Dark Arceus. He battled the dark one for control of his psyche and they came to a truce. They joined forces, and he continued the dark one's purpose even after it rejoined the god. Do you know what his followers have done to humans in our world? Not just our world, either. Alternate worlds have heard the 'Word of Charles' and entire populations of Pokémon have gone insane!"

"He had a good reason for hating the humans, though," Royce said, as he fell back to join his cousin Conor. The two continued to backstroke down the river, their eyes fixed on the ceiling. "Just sayin'."

Medusa glared at him and shook her head. She let the subject drop, and the conversation soon turned to more pleasant topics.

It took two weeks to reach the center of the planet. The river made several strange twists and turns, sometimes going in long spirals. Sometimes going straight up before suddenly falling back down. Discord said he did it to make the journey more fun. While some of the travelers agreed with him, the detours allowed the land group to keep pace with the group traveling downriver. Both would arrive at their destination at roughly the same time. As such, the complaints were minimal.

The travelers ate fruit and berries carried in carts pulled by ponies and Pokémon alike, even in the water. Not every stretch of mile had a supply team, but the endless flora that grew within the interior of the planet was quite edible.

"This is delicious," Princess Skystar said as she ate the leaves of a flower her guards had picked for her. "I don't think I've tasted anything on this planet that wasn't good. Some required a bit of salt, but they were still good."

"This planet is full of mysteries," Princess Cadance said atop her raft. She had come to the river to share a meal with her sea pony counterpart. "I was surprised when we found that second cave system on the first night. Torri and Rose have scouts looking ahead of us, but there seems to be no danger and no end in sight. It just keeps going down. Is Discord sure he didn't make it?"

"He says he really didn't make it," Fluttershy said. She, Zecora, and Meadowbrook sat on the same raft as Cadance. Meadowbrook was busy pouring Zecora a cup of tea, the pot brewing on a magical fire in the center of the raft, its flames kept in check by a magical force field. "He made this tunnel, and gave us all the water we need to get down to the core of the planet, but he says that cave system wasn't his doing."

"What is it then? Who made this place and why?"

"We'll know soon enough," Zecora said as she took a sip of her tea. "This rout has been long, the traveling tough. Our end is in sight. Once we are there, we'll see what is right."

"It can't be anything too bad, can it?" Meadowbrook asked. "There's been plenty of chances for whatever this is to attack us, but nothing has. Maybe, whatever's down there is friendly."

"A report, majesties," said a sea pony guard that popped out of the water. He swam backwards several feet ahead of Princess Skystar, and bowed to the group before continuing. "We approach the center of the world. It is a giant, metal sphere just as Discord said it would be. It is drowned in water now, with a single bridge covered by a glass dome to allow travel for those on hoof."

"Are there any guardians around it?" Princess Cadance asked.

"Yes, majesty. There are a number of large, black robotic sentinels with thick armor and swords twenty feet long. They don't seem aggressive, but we are approaching with caution nonetheless."

"Good. How long until we're there?"

"Two hours at the most. Lady Rose and Lady Torri wait near the structure's ground entrance. Lord Bartholomew awaits near the water entrance."

"Surely this was made for us," Zecora said, softly. "Doors for ground, and doors for sea? Let us enter without a fuss, and hope our host is friendly."

"Agreed," Princess Cadance said. "Zecora, Meadowbrook. I'd like you two to come with me to treat the troops on the ground. Fluttershy, I'm sending you with the sea ponies."

"Sounds good," Meadowbrook said. "We've got tons of magic elixirs brewed. I think we're well prepared for whatever comes next."

"Good," Princess Cadance said. "Take care, friends."

With a flash of magic, she and her healers teleported off to join Shining Armor.

"Discord?" Fluttershy said. Discord, currently the size of a door mouse, rose from her hair where he'd been sleeping, and stretched groggily. "We don't have Queen Novo's magic pearl here, and I need to be a sea pony for a bit. Would you mind?"

"Of course not," Discord said. With a snap of his claws he transformed her into a sea pony and she leapt into the water to follow Skystar and her guards to center of the planet.


	7. Chapter 6

Princess Skystar swam through the baydoors in the side of the metallic complex, the silent sentinels staring at her and her group as they entered. It was larger than she had imagined it being. The sentinels were at least eighty feet long according to her guard captain. From the tops of their heads, to the tips of their long, snake-like tails they were enormous. They made the ponies and Pokémon feel extremely small in comparison. The complex they guarded dwarfed them as easily as they dwarfed their guests, though. Skystar looked up from her entrance near the middle, trying to find the top of the sphere. All she could see was a continuous wall of alien steel.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Discord said as he floated between Skystar and Fluttershy. "I've never seen something like this before. Did you know those guardians transformed to accommodate themselves in the water the moment I flooded this place?"

"It is a wonder," said a Transformer who seemed to materialize out of the water before them. His lower half resembled the snake-like sentinels outside, though his coloring was mostly white. Though still large, even by Transformer standards, he was much smaller than his guardians. "My brothers and I built this in order to observe the Dead Universe from within. You have seen a vessel like this before, Discord. Though not this exact one."

"Oh? Hmm, I suppose I could have… Jog my memory for me."

"I am Vector Prime, guardian of time and space. My brother, Micronus, and I found you floating in the void between universes crying while you ate an endless supply of cookies… that were also crying. It has been well over one thousand years now, as time is reckoned in your universe. You were quite a bit… bulkier, but not much larger than you are now."

"Ah, yes," Discord said, rubbing his beard in thought. "I remember now. I was looking for my favorite socks; the ones that sing opera when they get wet. I always used to wear them in the shower so I could have a little sing-a-long while I got clean. I don't remember you much, though."

"You gave me a moustache made of insects…"

"Still not remembering, but that does sound entertaining."

"We tried to destroy you once we discovered you were evil. You made Micronus' fingers into salad, then teleported home. Laughing."

"Ok, that really sounds like me so I'll just take your word for it," Discord said, with a self-satisfied smile. "By the way, I'm reformed now. No need to try and kill me… again."

Vector Prime's eyes narrowed at Discord. He mumbled a bit, as if debating with himself whether or not he should believe the draconequus. Fluttershy swam up next to her friend and put a hoof on his arm, as if to support his claims of reformation. After a moment, Vector Prime turned to swim away, motioning for the others to follow as he did. The group went after him, eager to see what lay ahead.

A light shone at the end of the tunnel as the group approached. Lady Torri and Lady Rose walked ahead of the ponies, their strongest fighters to either side. The light dimmed as they got closer and a small figure could be seen hovering in the air just above the metal floors. Windblade and Chromia gasped. Then they charged ahead to kneel before the figure.

"Greetings," said a small, white robot. He raised a hand to the two Transformers and they carefully rose to their feet, their heads still bowed in reverence. "I am Micronus, the first Mini-Con. I welcome you to the ship belonging to me and my brother, Vector."

"Lord Micronus," Windblade said, her head lifting as she addressed the Prime. "It is wonderful that we have found you and Lord Vector Prime. We desperately need your help."

"I know that, and we are willing to do what we can."

"Then perhaps you can answer some questions, if you don't mind," Princess Cadance asked as she approached Micronus. "For starters, what is this place? Why is there a world full of plant life in a universe filled with death?"

"That is a simple answer to give, princess," Micronus said, as he floated down to sit on the ground so he could be eye level with Cadance. "This planet is not from this universe. It is an experiment. One sent out from the strange world known as Apokolips. The god of evil, Darkseid, is trying to find a safe way to invade the Dead Universe and conquer Unicron. This world was his earliest test at large-scale troop transport. The atmosphere is such that Darkseid's endless slave hordes could survive and work here. In normal circumstances, this entire planet would be full of machinery used for warfare preparation."

"Why is it full of plant life? From what I've heard of him, Darkseid doesn't strike me as the type of person to care about flowers and trees."

"According to our prisoner, the assumption among Darkseid's strategists was that if they could engineer a world full of plant life to survive in the Dead Universe, then they could do so with a world full of slaves, too."

"And what of the 'dark mind' our psychics report sensing here?" Prince Shining Armor said. "Is that related to Darkseid?"

"Yes, it is. The dark mind they sense is the creature Darkseid put in charge of his project. It calls itself a 'Deathspawn', and it is able to fully cloak this world from Unicron's vision. Unicron grew suspicious of Darkseid's plans some time ago, and sent his planetbots out to investigate the strange anomaly created by this world's entrance into the Dead Universe. They have found this world as a result of the Deathspawn's imprisonment, though they have yet to attack. Vector and I aren't sure why."

"And where is this Deathspawn?"

"We currently hold it within a prison cell on our ship. Darkseid planned to send many more Deathspawn to other planets throughout the Dead Universe. That plan was derailed when Unicron launched his full-scale invasion of Apokolips, and the various other realms of Darkseid's multiverse. Entire worlds are engulfed in the most brutal warfare imaginable, their peoples killed or enslaved."

"Micronus," Princess Cadance said, her voice soft and restrained as she tried to push back the thought of so much suffering. "We want to stop their war, but first we must help our own people. We must find Unicron and keep him from devouring our universe."

"That is possible, but unspeakably dangerous," Micronus said, with a heavy sigh. "You would have to go to the Throne of Unicron. There, he holds threads that tie him to universes he has eyed for consumption. The physics of the Dead Universe make it easier for him to reach into other realities and devour them. It is one of the abilities he gained when he conquered the D-Void."

"Can we use this planet as a staging ground for an invasion of Unicron's throne? Can you take us there?"

Micronus hovered above the ground, rubbing one arm in silence as he considered the request.

"I don't feel comfortable doing this without consulting the other primes," he said, as he turned and floated back into the ship. He motioned for the princess to follow. "Vector won't be so hesitant, I think. Such a task is what Primus made him for, after all. I'll take you to him so we can discuss preparations."

"Thank you," Princess Cadance said, as she and Shining Armor bowed to their host. Then the princess, Windblade and Chromia followed Micronus into the ship while the others set about organizing their troops.

"Hello, Royce," Rose said as she walked up to the Toxicroak. The Nidoqueen's body was full of battle scars that seemed to mirror the scars of her mate in places. "How did your swim go?"

"It went great, milady!" Royce said, with a quick bow. "It was just what I needed!"

"He wasn't entirely unpleasant," Medusa said, though she wouldn't look at Royce as she talked about him. "Though he kept defending Charles. It isn't a welcome viewpoint amongst our ranks. You can take him back if you wish, Lady Rose."

"No, I think I like him just where he is," Rose said, a friendly smile on her face as she put an approving paw on Royce's shoulder. "You aren't obligated to talk to him, you know."

"I talk to him because he's my cousin," Conor said. The Seismitoad clapped Royce on the shoulder and they shared a smile. "And because we're best friends! Right, Royce?"

"We sure are!" Royce said, a note of thankfulness in his voice as he shared a smile with his cousin.

"We don't like to talk to him because he's insistent on giving Charles a chance to redeem himself," Lord Bartholomew said as he walked up behind Medusa to place a supportive hand on her shoulder. "Seriously, it started out as insulting and then it just got old. We can't control the fact that Charles is back in the city, but we don't have to like it."

"No, you don't," Rose said, simply. Thorn, her Nidoking mate, sighed a bit and shook his head at Bartholomew. An enormous Arbok slithered up next to Royce and Conor to start a friendly conversation. Rose looked back at them and smiled. "We're family, though. All of us. Our ancestors have fought side by side for generations beyond living memory. It isn't wrong to forgive someone of their crimes, so long as there is evidence of change. I'll be taking Royce and Conor for a bit. We'll have a nice little chat. Then I'll return them."

"Rose…" Bartholomew said, his eyes narrowed in disapproval. Medusa seemed to be weighing the Nidoqueen's words more than her lord, though.

"We'll be returning to God's Breath soon, anyway," Lady Rose said, with a dismissive wave of her paw that made Bartholomew scowl. "We need better preparations than what we have now. Torri and the Transformers will be the ones to remain. Charles will be staying, too. It is almost time for he and Korish to play their part, and it is a very important one."

"I don't care what they do," Medusa said, her voice soft and angry. "I still won't accept them."

"And the humans that attacked you in Gotham?" Thorn rumbled, his heavy tail swishing back and forth casually. "Would you treat them the same as Charles, even if they fought beside us tomorrow? Even though the loss of life in Gotham was reversed, they did an incredible amount of harm to us. Nightmares are common among those that Dain revived, and those that weren't are permanently scarred."

"Our king always wanted us to protect the humans," Medusa replied as she returned her fellow champion's gaze. "He loved them, in spite of their actions."

"He loved Charles, too. In spite of his actions."

"I…" Medusa stammered. She hesitated, trying to find words for a retort and failing. Thorn turned and followed his mate back to the welcoming arms of their fellow poison-types as Medusa fell deep into thought.

"By the way, Lady Rose," Royce said, his voice fading as he moved farther away from the water-types. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Your trip down the river, of course. That can come later, though. For now, all I want to talk about is why you and Conor thought it was a good idea to send Mario off to jump on Discord's head," Rose said, her motherly voice filled with the promise of punishment.

"Brother!" Luigi yelled, in surprise and worry. The Politoed ran off, past Lady Rose and deeper into the compound, his two-dozen Poliwhirl subordinates close behind.

"Mario!" Lord Bartholomew roared, having overheard the conversation, as well. He ran off with Luigi to try and save one of his best fighters while Medusa rolled her eyes and followed.


	8. Chapter 7

"Medusa, this isn't wise."

"You don't have to involve yourself with me, Sassy," Medusa said to the Granbull following her through the shopping district of God's Breath. "I'm no longer a servant of Lady Joan, or a champion of the fairy-types. I serve Lord Bartholomew now."

Pokémon moved about, buying and selling as normally as any other day though there was a tension in the air that no one was addressing. Two Raticate walked past each other in the streets, one an Alola variant and the other not. Their Rattata followers hissed at the opposing Pokémon, but the Raticate barked orders and the groups continued on their separate ways.

"And you're getting him and yourself involved in this stupid feud between the Shining Murder Gang and the Rainbow Crest Gang!" Sassy yelled. The nearby Pokémon looked around for the Raticate, half-expecting them to charge in and attack the Granbull, but they had already disappeared in the crowds. "Entering this fight is a very bad idea!"

"If it were such a problem then Lady Sasha and Lady Potpourri would have put an end to it by now."

"They've been dragged into it themselves," Sassy said nervously. As she spoke the sentence, seven nearby Maractus shivered and moved away from the champions quickly. "The gangs have already had fights in streets and alleys. Word is they were brutalizing each other before they were stopped. Things are tense and the kings are doing nothing to solve the problem. The princesses are busy in the Crystal Empire, planning to take action on the news from our spies. Word is Celestia is going herself. Hostilities have only gotten worse, with no end in sight and no one to calm them."

"That tension won't go away just because the two sides decide not to fight," Medusa said. "If anything, they'll get worse. I also happen to agree with their reason for fighting. That's why I'll take part, though I side with neither group."

"Not even your mother would be this foolish!" Sassy yelled. Medusa scowled at her friend, and the Granbull gasped as she realized what she had done. "Not that an honored elder would be foolish, b-but…"

"She's right," said the cool, angry voice of Mistress Ceto from a few feet behind the pair. There was an air about her, as if she wasn't out for a friendly stroll. Pokémon bowed to her as she moved through the shopping district to come before her daughter and her friend. "Not even I would condone you entering this fight under normal circumstances. Nor would I ever get personally involved. Nor would I drag the water-types into the middle of it! I don't approve, Medusa."

"I'm not dragging the water-types into anything," Medusa replied, her tone soft and respectful. "I've let Lady Potpourri and Lady Sasha know that I stand alone. It is Lord Bartholomew's decision to join me. I haven't asked him to."

"He was going to bring the Furies," Mistress Ceto said with an amused smile. She sighed in relief, as she realized that she wouldn't have to punish her daughter after all. "I came to make sure you weren't pressuring Bartholomew into fighting for you. Bruce is handling the young lord, himself."

"I assure you, mother," Medusa said, with a small bow of her head. "I wouldn't wish to pressure Lord Bartholomew into anything. Everything he's done for me has been of his own accord. I also know the precedence it would set for him to lead the Furies into a situation like this. He hadn't told me of his plans yet, but I would have declined his help had I known."

"You've got your followers, though," Mistress Ceto said. She moved over to the stand her daughter was standing in front of and bought a fashion magazine from the human world. It featured a Pokémon movie star on its cover; a young Pikachu named Chuuster. Ceto's smile widened a bit as she was handed the bag by the Larvitar behind the counter. "Mario and Luigi will side with you, along with the Poliwag and Poliwhirl they lead. Royce, and his cousin Conor are intent on fighting for you, too. They have their own followers of course, as all great soldiers tend to gather. Though they aren't champions, they are strong and fierce. Two of Gallah's most promising students have cast in their lot with you, Medusa. Word is they don't like the idea of you going in with inadequate support. Four of Hal's soldiers have offered their help, and they bring two of Suzuki's swarm with them. Apparently they're close. You've got more help than you know."

"I never asked any of them to…"

"You didn't have to. They did it of their own free will once the news spread. Though they are all respected warriors, none of them hold the symbolic importance of the Furies. The case cannot then be made that you have the support of an army. There shouldn't be any complaints."

"Sassy has already promised to fight with me," Medusa said, as feelings of gratitude filled her and began to lift her spirits.

"I have!" Sassy said, proudly. "Though it is reassuring to hear that we will have such great help."

"I won't be fighting with you, but I will be watching," Mistress Ceto said as she turned and began to move toward a fruit seller across the street. "Let's do a little shopping for now. We'll take it home and make the kids something good to eat."

"Yes, mother, that sounds wonderful," Medusa said, with a happy smile, her shoulders relaxing a bit at the thought of having so much support. She was prepared to do this insane task alone, to alleviate some of the stress and confusion that seemed to plague her lately. She had been prepared to fight both gangs all by herself, but she was relieved she wouldn't have to.

"What are you doing, boy?" Master Bruce yelled as his Ice Punch sent Bartholomew flying out of the lake and onto dry land. The massive, old Feraligatr growled as he swam toward the shore to scowl at his successor. "What's the meaning of you getting involved in a gang feud?"

"Medusa has chosen to fight alone," Bartholomew said, rubbing the heat back into his sore jaw. The Furies surrounded the lake they were in. The elite water-type warriors were composed entirely of Gyarados and Milotic. They watched their two leaders spar, though they were clearly more interested in the discussion taking place. "We have to help her!"

"No, you don't. The gangs blame each other for the ambush in Gotham. In truth, they're both just mad at what happened to them and neither is truly to blame, but they won't be convinced of that. We're letting the two sides fight in order to work out their differences, so long as they keep to proper Pokémon battle rules. The aggression got too much and they've gotta let off some steam. It happens from time to time with those two groups. Even so, their resentment of each other is real."

"I know she's being foolish, but Medusa thinks joining this battle will mean she takes some kind of responsibility for Gotham, too," Bartholomew said as he paced back and forth, their sparring match forgotten. "I just want to help her."

"Medusa is being allowed to fight to try and calm her anger a bit," Master Bruce said with a heavy sigh. "Joan requested it, in the hopes it would help her. No singular army has ever participated in these sorts of events, though. It's always been between the gangs and no one else. If you drag the Furies into this fight, as I know you were going to, then Sasha and Potpourri will be forced to draw from their elite guard to match you. It will become a fight within the army, rather than a disagreement between factions. That can't be allowed, and I shouldn't have to tell you that! You should know it, boy!"

"I am obligated to do whatever I can for my best friend's widow!" Bartholomew shouted, grief and confusion welling up in him "He would do the same for my parents and sibling if the roles were reversed."

"You have done an incredible amount for her already," Master Bruce said, clapping the Mega Swampert's shoulder with his big, muscular claws. "You have set about training her children in safety within the city. You have given her a place to serve and feel at home when Joan was forced to remove her from the fairy-types. Now all that's left is to be her friend. You're doing a great job of that, already."

"But… I can't just abandon her, master."

"Medusa has a great deal of help from soldiers who have chosen to do so on an individual basis, as it should be. That way, the armies of God's Breath won't be pitted against each other in a hostile battle. Now, we've got work to do, Bartholomew. If you haven't noticed, I've recruited quite a few new Furies while you were away. We're well over two hundred and fifty now. The princesses have called us to serve during the siege of Unicron's throne. We've got a week to prepare, so you don't have time to worry about that little Primarina and her troubles. Let her mother worry about all that. Ceto's more than capable."

"Yes, master," Bartholomew said. Though they set about discussing preparations and sending out orders, Medusa remained on Barholomew's mind.

So this is the 'internet'?" Gabby said as she tried to make sense of the computer the Slowking had brought to Canterlot. She poked at it, her claws leaving accidental scratches on the keyboard. Her three parademons stood behind her, watching everything silently as they had since their arrival in Equestria. "I don't get it."

"That is probably for the best, child," said the old Oranguru that walked past Gabby's row. They were in a lecture hall in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. It was filled with ponies, each one trying to navigate the computers the Slowkings had provided them with. The eager, young students had jumped at the chance to learn about this strange technology taken from the human world.

"Oh, come on, Professor Satori," Princess Twilight Sparkle said from her lectern at the front of the class. She had a computer, too. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

The two Rowlett, Archi and Poe, were flying in circles around the professor's head. They had finally been reunited with their teacher, and were excited by all the interesting things he was doing on behalf of the Slowking College. The human Twilight Sparkle and Applejack stood at the top of the stairs near the door to the lecture hall, while the other girls moved along the rows of ponies in the same fashion Professor Satori did. Applejack wasn't sure what to make of this strange experiment. Twilight was a bit more enthusiastic, but she had her worries, too. Her pony counterpart had no reservations, though.

"Alright, ponies!" Princess Twilight Sparkle said to the class. "You've all given up your valuable time to help us explore this 'internet', and I thank you for that from the bottom of my heart. What we have is a copy of the Internet as it was when the Porygon last had access to it, backed up on machines in the dungeons that your computers are connected to. Our objective is to learn as much as we can. Knowledge for knowledge's sake! You've been through the classes and simulations. You know the basics of working these computers. Our human friends from Canterlot High are all here to help you troubleshoot, if you should need it. Now, start up the Internet and begin exploring. Discovery awaits!"

The class cheered as they started up their browsers. Gabby began typing random words and phrases into the search engine to see what sites they led to, just like the humans and Pokémon had taught her. Eventually she settled on two sites to explore, a large blogging site and an image board. It seemed these sites were where the humans went to share stories and discuss opinions, but the more she saw the worse it got. The humans were constantly fighting and insulting one another. The images and stories they shared were terrible. Some were just stupid, some were weird, some were disgusting and others were horrific. There were entire threads dedicated to terrible acts that the humans were actually joking about. Her parademons were looking over her shoulder, all of them intent on seeing everything Gabby saw.

"W-what am I looking at exactly?" Gabby said as confusion and disgust threatened to overcome her. The images on her screen were starting to make her feel sick.

"The will of Darkseid," Dio, the parademon said softly. Leo and Mio repeated his words with breathless reverence, sending a shiver down Gabby's spine. Those were the first words her parademons had said since coming to Equestria.

Master Satori walked past, staring at the parademons with hatred and distrust. Though, like everyone else, he had been ordered to leave them alone so long as they weren't hurting anyone or anything. Gabby put her head down, and went back to work. The parademons were scratching at their skin again, as they had many times since their arrival. Gabby tried to put it out of her mind as she had before, but there was a pit of dread growing in her stomach. It had been there since the first night she had spent with these things in her homeland. Try as she might, it only grew worse the longer she was around her new 'friends'. It was impossible to ignore.


	9. Chapter 8

"So… where do you guys wanna go next?" Gabby asked as she led her parademons away from the school. The ponies browsing the Internet had begun to argue after several hours. First they had kept it to chat rooms the Slowking and Oranguru had set up for them, but eventually they had erupted into arguments in real life. The worst part was that the things they were fighting over had no bearing on Equestrian society. They were human problems, and had no affect on the ponies. Gabby couldn't take the arguing. Nor could she stop it, so she had left the room. Princess Twilight was currently trying to calm everypony down.

"The castle," Mio said, his voice a low gurgle. Gabby had thought they were sick at first, and that the right medicine could help them. She had been right, in that they had a number of diseases the nurse ponies could identify. However, the ponies didn't know of any cure for them. "We want to see the gardens again."

"And the inside," Dio grunted.

"And the cave system underground," Mio growled. "You told us we could see it next time we were there."

"Why do you want to see the cave system again?" Gabby asked.

"Strategic assets," Leo replied. The other two nodded their heads in agreement.

"Strategic assets? For what?"

The parademons went silent as they passed four guard ponies. They remained that way, never answering Gabby's question even after she posed it again. Something strange had come over them after coming to Equestria. It had been subtle, but Gabby couldn't help but feel as if they had gotten more intelligent. At night, when she woke up from fitful dreams and nightmares to see her parademons staring at her in her room, she swore she could feel some force behind their eyes that was separate from them. As she led the parademons onto the Canterlot main street that went to the castle, she stopped.

"You know what?" she said as she turned around and began leading the monsters to the train station. "There's a castle you haven't seen yet! Let's go get my friends and we'll go to the castle in Ponyville. I'm sure Twilight won't mind!"

The parademons gave no response, but they put up no fuss either. Gabby took that as agreement. Her hopes would have been lifted a bit by the prospect of seeing her friends if not for the ever-growing dread in the pit of her stomach.

"I… I just don't know what to do…" Gabby said as she clasped her head with her claws. She wanted to pull her feathers out. She was in the library of Twilight Sparkle's castle, and in the process of pouring all of her feelings out to her friends. The princess had given her permission to meet with the other Cutie Mark Crusaders there, and so she had flown to Ponyville, her parademons in tow. "I couldn't stay in the school with all of those ponies arguing like that. I tried to help calm them down, but I only made things worse. I mean really, who cares whether or not Batman could beat Superman in a fight? They're heroes, right? Shouldn't they be friends? And the things I saw on those Internet websites? All those art blogs were… There was a jar full of yellow liquid I thought was lemon juice at first, bu then when I realized what was in it…"

Gabby gagged, as if she were going to throw up, and the other crusaders grimaced.

"Apprently the rich people in that world love 'art' like that. B-but how is that art?! Then there was the image board. It was full of angry people yelling at each other and saying the most hurtful things! It's like… the longer someone's on the Internet the angrier they become and the more they lash out! I'm glad Equestria doesn't have the Internet! I hope we never get it! If I'd known human society was going to be that crazy I'd have never bothered with those stupid computers!"

"Was it really that bad?" Sweetie Belle asked. She grimaced as one of the parademons began to scratch open another wound. Gabby was so upset that she didn't even notice.

"Bad isn't a strong enough word. Anyway, I never brought the parademons here to show you because… I don't know. It just didn't feel right, somehow. I finally gave in because I needed some advice from my friends. Now that you've met them, what do you girls think?"

"Honestly, those things creep me out," Scootaloo said, as she stared at the parademons standing behind the young gryphon. "I don't think you should have brought them to Equestria, Gabby."

"I just wanted to help them…"

"Yeah, but… can they be helped?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Do they even want to be helped?"

"We haven't asked 'em yet, have we?" Applebloom said. She walked over to the parademons, and stared at them for a moment before speaking. She looked over their brutal, scar-covered bodies and shivered. "Dio, Mio, and Leo. Hi! I'm Applebloom and I wanna know if you guys wanna be helped in becoming better people. Are you interested in that?"

"We are not people," Leo said. He was raking a claw across his stomach; tearing through bandages Gabby had put there to cover a previous self-injury. Gabby swatted his claw away, and he growled a bit. The magical chains the parademons wore kept him from lashing out violently, but his eyes looked at Gabby with absolute hatred.

"We are slaves," Mio said. "We live to serve Darkseid. He justifies our pain, our suffering, and our death."

"I'm gonna take that as a 'no'," Applebloom said as she walked briskly back to stand beside the other ponies. She looked at the parademons in fear, and shivered once more. "Let's get rid of 'em!"

"But… I brought them here to see Equestria and learn about us! To learn to understand love and friendship!"

"We have learned," Dio said. He took hold of the chains that bound his wrists and began to pull. The other two did the same, and together they freed themselves. Immediately their eyes began to glow with menace as the spell that kept them docile lifted. Their faces turned up in mock imitations of smiles as they stalked toward the terrified ponies and their gryphon friend.

"We have learned that your kind is weak," Leo said, his claws flexing as he anticipated the kill. "Your love and friendship are nothing more than lies. All truth rests in Darkseid, for he decides what is true. Oppression, hatred, and eternal conquest. These are what our lord deems true. Though you are weak of spirit and mind, though your culture is pathetic and worthy of destruction, you have strong backs. They will prove most useful to Darkseid in his slave camps."

"We have seen all of the important structures of your land," Mio said, drool oozing from his gaping, fang-filled maw. His voice grew louder and more violent as he spoke. "We have seen Canterlot, and its high spires. We have seen the Crystal Empire, and gauged the strength of its military. What we see, so too does Darkseid. Now, we will summon our lord's army and kill all who stand in our way! Darkseid justifies your slaughter! Darkseid justifies our deaths!"

Dio and Leo parroted the last two sentences. Gabby began to cry, but that didn't stop her from positioning herself between the parademons and her three friends. She flexed her claws and muscles as she prepared herself to fight for the young ponies that cowered behind her.

"From this castle, we will start our war on your kind!" Leo said. He ripped the bandage away, and from the open wound in his stomach he pulled a golden box. There was very little blood, as if that part of his body had been made hollow just to accommodate its cargo. "We will summon Darkseid's forces with our Motherboxes! War and desolation will come to your world! You will be killed and enslaved for the glory of our god!"

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen," Starlight Glimmer said as the motherbox teleported out of Leo's claws. With another spell, she surrounded the parademons in an opaque force field and lit them on fire, the light of the inferno that engulfed them the only thing visible from outside of the bubble of magic. The motherboxes inside of them screamed as they burned. With a fourth spell, she opened a portal in space and dumped the contents of the force field inside before closing it. "Trash goes in the trash dimension."

"Starlight!" the four friends yelled as they ran to hug the unicorn.

"We thought you'd went out for coffee with Trixie and Maud!" Applebloom said.

"I did," Starlight replied. "But then Master Satori appeared and told me what was about to happen in the castle. Spike's off with Twilight in Canterlot, and Master Satori insisted that he needed both Trixie and Maude for something so it was up to me to save the day."

"I was ready to kill them," Gabby said, softly. "In that moment, when they attacked, I felt… I hated them. I think I've hated them ever since I came back."

"In this case, I think that's justified," Applebloom said.

"I was also sad that I couldn't help them. I still am, but…"

"Hey, you tried, but they were clearly lost causes," Sweetie Belle said as she put a comforting hoof on Gabby's shoulder. "It's not your fault. I don't think there was anything you could have done! Let's just be glad they didn't actually summon any armies."

Gabby smiled a bit in thanks, but she couldn't help but wonder if there was something she missed that could have changed them.

"Why don't you destroy that thing?" Scootaloo asked Starlight as she pointed toward the motherbox in the unicorn's hoof.

"Judging by the plans those monsters were ranting about, I think this may be some device to cross dimensions," Starlight said as she put a force field around the motherbox. "Starswirl's coming later today. I prepared his room just this morning. Maybe he and I can find a use for it? I've got a feeling we can combine this with that machine the Decepticon's used to seal the Dead Universe for our Plan B. Since we can't really use anyone outside our current forces, I think it's worth a shot."

"When does this 'Plan B' start?" Scootaloo asked.

"We'll start preparations as soon as Lord Krush's soldiers return from their little errand. When Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor return from Unicron's Throne, we'll start the project in earnest."

"Honestly, I can't understand why humans prefer to shop 'online' rather than going to actual stores!" Rarity said, as she brushed her hair with an air of frustration about her. She and her friends were sitting around a table in Canterlot Castle, while their counterparts from Canterlot High were helping the Oranguru pull down the computer network they had set up. "It's good to be social, and shopping is one of the best ways to interact with society! Even my human counterpart says that most interaction on social media is either fake, or hostile. I can't imagine it's any different in this 'superhero' world."

"It is kinda sad," Applejack said, in-between bites of fresh cherry pie straight from the castle's kitchens. "If I spent all day on the farm buckin' apples without goin' into town every once in a while, I'd hardly ever see another pony. I've had lots a' great conversations while sellin' apples at market."

"Ooo, are we gonna learn a lesson about market forces?" Pinkie Pie said, clapping her hooves excitedly. "I've got a lot to say about the pastry industry and how the only pastries that should be mass produced are key lime pies used for throwing at ponies during clown performances, 'cuz I can never seem to have enough when I need them. I've even got a recipe I made for the perfect…"

"I sometimes get nervous when talking to new ponies in town," Fluttershy said as she gently stuffed her piece of pie into Pinkie Pie's open mouth. Pinkie bit down on the pie and smiled as her friend continued. "Even these days it can seem like a difficult task to undertake, especially if the new pony is big and… intimidating. Though, I still make the effort, and more often than not, I meet a new friend."

"Unfortunately, I don't think we can fix the problems of ever increasing social isolation in human society," Twilight Sparkle said, as she passed folders full of papers out to her friends. "We've got our own problems to deal with. These are copies I made of the top secret information I gathered during the research we did on the internet. It wasn't easy finding it in all that mess, but the Porygon we saved assured me it was in there. We're making another trip into the superhero world soon, and Lady Dorris thinks the human government is still a threat. Princess Celestia agrees with her."

"And this will give us information on what sort of weapons they might use against us?" Rarity said as she flipped through the folder. "Why do all of their top secrets have to involve increasing their capacity for violence?"

"Probably because they live in a violent world," Rainbow Dash said. She had been seriously injured in Gotham. When Arceus had been sealed, all of their rainbow magic had gone toward that one goal. Like the others, Rainbow Dash had been invigorated and protected from Arceus' attacks, but her injuries hadn't been healed. Still, she had insisted on being able to stand and fly on her own, and she had recovered a great deal with rest and proper medical care. "Gotham was proof of that. You girls saw how those humans turned on one another the second it was time to lay the blame for their loss! Their ships were blowing each other out of the sky! Their world isn't like ours. It's more like the years our kind spent colonizing Equestria. Even if they've had similar experiences, they haven't learned the lessons we have. They learned something different. We shouldn't expect them to be like us."

"You've got a point," Twilight Sparkle said, sadly. "We also shouldn't expect the friendship of the Justice League to fully protect us, which is why I wanted to go through all that data. With this information, we'll be prepared to face whatever they throw at us. Princess Celestia is already making preparations. Lady Suzuki and Lady Dorris went ahead of us yesterday. They've already made contact with our spies. We're to meet them in three days. Until then, we need to study what we're up against."

Two Ryperior and Two Aggron stood behind a large rock just before the entrance to Decepticon City. The mobile city was immense, and confusing. They had tried to map it out over the last few days, but failed. They resorted to watching the Transformers move. After a day of observation, they had found a wasp-like Transformer carrying crates in and out of a large building. After another day of observing the building, they got lucky and Shockwave appeared at one of the entry ports to help his assistant carry a particularly large container.

"It's in there," Sherman said. The Ryperior frowned, as he watched a number of sentries take their places around the entrance. The guard was changing for the first time that day.

"How do we break in?" Mundeok asked. The Aggron's stomach growled as he looked at the streets of the metal city with longing. "We could dig our way underneath and eat our way to the top."

"Sounds better than charging in," said Lee, the second Ryperior. "We need that machine in one piece. Fighting our way in is possible, but the machine might get damaged if we have to fight our way out. Let's build a few tunnels underground so we have an entrance route and an escape route. Once we're far enough away we can call for extraction."

"It doesn't matter how we enter that place as much as it matters how we leave," said Ryul, the second Aggron. He was already digging into the ground of the alien planet once more. "Our tunnels have to be deep, and we have to leave quickly. Our mission can't take longer than fifteen minutes, which means we need to have a general idea of where the device is before we retrieve it. Let's get to work!"

The others voiced their agreement, their low, rocky voices rumbling jovially. They laughed and joked to make the time go by faster as they dug beneath Decepticon City.


	10. Chapter 9

"They lulled it to sleep with rainbow magic," Lex Luthor said for the thousandth time as he paced back and forth in his room. He stopped long enough to hold his silver goblet out to one of the servants and have it refilled before returning to his constant pacing.

"You've been saying that for weeks, Lex," King Grodd said, from his seat in one of the large, red armchairs of Lex's personal quarters. He and Lex weren't friends. Their relationship was purely business, and since Lex had been a good business partner recently he was given some special privileges within Gorilla City. One of Grodd's guards hefted his new plasma rifle, grinning proudly at the human's gift. It was one of many brought before Grodd for the use of his army. "So? What do you plan to do about this strange god?"

"There has to be a way we can use it to save the earth," Lex said. He stopped in front of the window and stared out at the unsettling sight, high in the night sky. "I refuse to give in and let Darkseid destroy what is rightfully… ours."

"Good catch," Grodd said. He peeled a banana and ate it. "This world is rightfully mine. I can say that because we're in my city, surrounded by my guards. I can also call you a fool, though I would do that regardless of where we were. Why should I side with you in any attempt to release this 'Arceus' on Darkseid?"

"Self preservation," Lex said, simply. "I've said it over and over again. When Darkseid conquers this other god he's fighting, he'll come for earth once more. Steppenwolf already marked us."

"That won't be the first time he's come for earth. What makes this time different?"

"If the enemy he's facing is strong enough, he'll let loose his greatest weapons. Troops that would make even Superman sweat. We don't want that. If we inject Arceus directly into their conflict, it will be chaos. Darkseid's forces will inevitably be weakened, and the likelihood of him attacking us diminishes."

"And what sort of troops are so threatening that Darkseid doesn't release them on a regular basis?"

"Monsters from world's Darkseid's enslaved," Lex said, grimly. "Abominations made in the labs of Apokolips. Abominations born from the endless hellfires of that wretched planet. The biggest threat, as far as I'm concerned, is Bruutal."

"Bruutal?" Grodd said. "You told me of him yesterday, but I admit I wasn't paying much attention. He's the clone of the Superman from Earth-2, right?"

"Yes, and his name is apt. He was killed once, but death isn't beyond Darkseid's powers. He was brought back to life."

"How do you know all of this about Darkseid's soldiers?"

"I sat in his throne, remember?"

"For a day."

"For me, that's long enough."

"I'd hope so," Grodd said. He furrowed his brow in thought, and sighed. "If you provide the weapons, I'll provide my soldiers. I'll also provide my brilliant strategic mind, and significant skill. But when we find this god, it will be my hand that guides it. Not yours, Lex. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Lex said, through gritted teeth.

"Good," Grodd said, with a satisfied smile. He had no trust in Lex Luthor's word, but he was useful, for now.

The door opened as Grodd was taking a celebratory sip of wine, and a small servant monkey walked through to whisper in the king's ear.

"It seems our uninvited guest has decided to make his move," Grodd said, still smiling. "The Batman is coming for us."

"The Batman won't know what hit him, my lord," one of the guards said. "It would be our honor to…"

"No, I would rather let the humans handle him. I'm sure Ms. Waller already has her troops positioned. I'll be joining them personally. So will Lex."

Grodd grinned as he took in the pleasure of giving Lex Luthor orders. Lex was staring out at the night sky once more. He turned, and without a word he walked out the door. Grodd was right behind him, his smile wide as he enjoyed the sensation of Lex's anger washing over him.

"Come out and play, batsey!" the Joker called out as he walked through the streets of Gorilla City. All the citizens had been returned to their homes. All that was left were the guards stalking through the roads, the Suicide Squad prowling around the buildings, and two pairs of sinister eyes barely visible in the shadows.

"Why did they have to stick me with a jerk like you? Puddin'," Harley Quinn said as she followed the Joker down the street. "I wanna kiss ya' and kill ya' at the same time and it's gettin' on my nerves!"

"Really? Because I just love that beautiful bloodlust pouring off of you, Harley. It's so adorable!"

Harley couldn't help but smile, and a skip returned to her step as she continued down the road.

"You think we'll find 'em, Mistah J?"

"Oh, I think he's already found us. It's only a matter of flushing him out before he calls in his big, blue reinforcement."

The joke removed a cigarette lighter from his pants pocket and held it out in front of him. Lex's hand grabbed his wrist before he could start it, though.

"We're not here to burn the place down," Lex said through gritted teeth. Grodd and six of his guards stood a few feet away, all of them frowning. "If you want to play arsonist do it in Gotham."

"Arson? No one's committing arson here, baldy," Joker said with an innocent smile. He pushed the button on the lighter, and a burping sound echoed through the streets. Harley laughed. "See? No arson here!"

The sound of giggling could be heard from nearby as Joker pushed the button again.

"What was that?" Lex said, as the giggling was hushed and the street went silent.

"Maybe ol' bat's got a case of the giggles?" Joker said.

"Nah, I've heard that voice before, ya' big jerk," Harley said. Though she was insulting her former boss, her face gave away the lie as she stared at him with love and admiration. "I think we got small, pink company."

"Nothing we haven't predicted and prepared for, Harley. Besides, I've got a new bestie and he knows stuff."

"Yeah, well I've got Bats in my sights," Deadshot said over the radio. "You and your 'bestie' better get over here if you want a piece."

"We want to talk first," Amanda Waller responded. "Pen him in, but don't kill. We're well prepared for Superman if he chooses to come. For now, we want the Batman."

"Personally, I want the Batman's face to wear like a mask," Joker said, his voice low and filled with aggression. "He's old hat anyway. My new bestie is so much better!"

"We want him alive, Joker! And if I catch sight of your new friend he's dead."

"You can't boss me and my friends around! I came along willingly, Waller! You don't have one of your little microchip bombs in me!"

"Doesn't change a thing."

"Maybe I'll take your face later."

"What's with your recent obsession with faces, ya big puddin' jerk?" Harley asked.

"I'm just in the mood, I suppose."

Lex and Grodd passed the pair, Grodd's gorilla guards close behind. Waller's human troops were already making their way to Deadshot's location, all members of the Colony with gear and training to mimic Batman's. Some piloted mech suits, and they all carried guns.

"C'mon, Harle. Let's not get left behind, or we'll miss all the fun!"

"Comin' Mistah J!" Harley said as she followed the Joker into the outskirts of Gorilla City.

"There you are, Batman," Joker exclaimed as he drew a long chain from his the inside of his coat. On each end was a rusty, bloodstained hook. Batman watched as he approached. His message had already been sent. Though the other Justice League members were busy, they had assured him that help would arrive in five minutes. Both Superman and Wonder Woman had been adamant on the exact time of their arrival. All he had to do was survive, but his gut told him that wouldn't be so easy.

"What are you doing, Joker?" Batman said, as he rose from his crouching position. They were next to a one-story storage building that housed the weapons for Grodd's armies. "Why do you have those things following you around?"

"I'm not a thing, I'm a people!" Harley shouted.

"Shut up, Harle," Joker said, without looking in her direction. "The men are talking."

"WhyIoughta…" Harley said under her breath as she reached for a knife at her waist, but she didn't draw it.

"He's talking about my new bestie, and I consider them things, too. They're things I created with the scientists I kidnapped. The Devastator one is for Superman. They're rather useful, and they even do tricks!"

"Like die?" Deathstroke said from the rooftop of the building. He had a rifle, and he was aiming at Batman's head. "Grundy found them lurking in the shadows and smashed them to bits."

"Hey! That surprise was for tomorrow! How dare that big oaf ruin it!"

"They're poor imitations of my doppelgangers," Batman said. "You had to combine the DNA of random people into the cloning process just to fill in the strands you were missing."

"But they look and act just how I like them to! Killing them is always fun."

"He's stalling," Deadshot said through the radio. The sky rang with the sound of sniper fire. A bullet hit the edge of the building, just beside Batman's head. "Tell him that was his one and only warning. The next shot won't miss."

"We want to talk, Batman," Lex Luthor said as he walked up from behind Joker and Harley. "We want to strike a deal."

"We're already cooperating with the military," Batman said. "Superman and Wonder Woman are both leading troops that Waller has no control over, as was per our demands. The incursions are getting worse. It's no longer demons, either. It's giant robots. Seems they've got a foothold in Hell. You should all be out helping in the fight."

"We plan to help, but we have a different idea of what should be done. We want you to help us while your friends in the Justice League hold down the fort, so to speak."

"What are you planning?"

"Agree to help, and we'll tell you everything," Grodd said. His soldiers had their weapons trained on Batman. Strangely, the soldiers from the Colony were standing down, but Batman was the only one to notice.

"I don't side with dictators, would-be or otherwise," Batman said as he eyed Grodd and Lex in turn.

"Look at the sky, fool!" Lex yelled as he pointed up at the distant, bright green orb in the night sky. "You know what that is? Of course you do! It's Oa! The Lanterns have been pushed back all the way to our solar system. They're setting up a defense, just like those alien civilizations were planning to. They're even organizing those species that want to fight into an army! Whatever these robots are, it's too much for us to handle without some kind of secret weapon!"

"What secret weapon were you thinking of, Lex?"

"One, in particular. Will you help us?"

Batman hesitated, trying to stall for time. It hadn't been five minutes yet. He wished his friends would hurry up.

"His plan is incredibly reckless," said a soft, commanding voice from the shadows. "He wants to awaken Arceus and send it to destroy his foes. A scheme like that can only end badly."

"Get off of our planet!" Lex yelled to the sky. He couldn't see her or her forces, but he knew she was there. "You alien equines have no right to be here, and no further business with us!"

"Considering your desire to awaken Arceus, I beg to differ," Princess Celestia responded. There was a flash of magic from high in the clouds. Then the sky went dark, as if someone had pulled a shadow over the moonlight. Even Oa disappeared from sight. Batman took the opportunity and made his escape as some unexpected friends made their move.


	11. Chapter 10

A minute later, the dark shroud that had been pulled over the city was removed without a trace.

"Good work, Enchantress," Amanda Waller said through the radio. She was hovering over the building Batman had been hiding behind, riding in a silent hovercraft designed by the Colony. She bit her lip in frustration as she realized that the Dark Knight had escaped. "Look on the radar. Get me Batman, now!"

"He's not on radar, ma'am," the pilot said. "He's just gone!"

"Enchantress?"

"Nothing," Enchantress said through the radio. "I do have some of our magical little friends in my sights, though."

"You're good to engage. Grundy's on his way. Killer Croc and Katana will be close behind. I want at least one primary specimen taken alive. Do what you want with the others."

"Understood."

"Take us to the ground once the target is secured," Waller told the pilot. "I want to oversee its transport myself."

The pilot nodded obediently. She could already see her troops gathering around the gorilla king, their weapons held at the ready as they silently searched for targets in the air. Lex had vanished. She didn't like that, but she couldn't afford to worry about it now.

"I saw what your sister did to the moon," the Enchantress said as she hurled fireballs at Celestia. The Canterlot Guard were in a desperate fight with Colony soldiers nearby. "That was impressive spellwork, manipulating the laws of nature like that. You have my respect."

Celestia dodged to the side before taking to the air to avoid the large, grey monster that crashed down next to her. The creature began fighting her guards, pushing the ponies back with his incredible strength and durability. The ponies ganged up on him, stabbing him repeatedly with their spears and lances, but to little avail. It was if he didn't feel pain or fear. His skin was pale and lifeless. A shiver ran down Celestia's spine as she considered the possibility that it was undead.

"We do have many talents," the princess called back as she pulled her attention away from the fiend. She fired a bolt of lightning at the human that scorched the air as it moved. Enchantress parried it with a magic shield produced by a wave of her hand. "Our friends have already seen the outcome of this fight."

"Your friends have seen possibilities, and nothing more," Enchantress called back as Celestia teleported several hundred yards away. With another spell, the princess turned the ground to lava under Enchantress' feet, but the woman was already hovering in the air. "I know enough about clairvoyance to say that much. You don't know us, though. The power difference is too great. The only outcome is for you to lose and become Waller's lab rat."

Enchantress fired an explosive blast of magic at Celestia, which rebounded off of the princess' force field. Celestia responded with more lightning bolts, followed by a fireball that lit Enchantress' clothes on fire. Enchantress yelled angrily as she put out the flame, then she dispelled Celestia's shield with a word of power. A single shot rang out the second the shield was down. The princess was hit in the back, left leg. Her armor shattered from the force of the bullet, and she fell from the sky.

"A non-fatal wound, assuming you get medical attention," Enchantress said as she came to land next to Celestia. The nearby Canterlot Guard struggled to reach their princess, but the soldiers of the Colony were fast and strong. They formed a ring around the two sorceresses and held the guards at bay with gunfire and sheer brutality. Solomon Grundy had disappeared, having been called away by Amanda Waller. "Your kind will be fascinating to study. The governments of our world make it a rule to take whatever we can from our victories, for use against the constant threats we face. I believe you will add a great deal to our already considerable reservoir of knowledge."

Celestia coughed, the pain in her leg was extreme and the force of her fall had bruised her lungs. She looked to see the giant, grey fiend pull back and jump a long distance away. Her soldiers still fought, but they were losing now. Many of them were standing only due to force of will.

"Deadshot," Amanda Waller said over the radio at the Enchantress' waist. "We've got our prize. Start systematic clearing of the enemy. Grundy's already on it. I want you to carve us a path out of the city. Grodd and Lex can do what they want from here."

"Can't do it, Waller," Deadshot replied, his voice tense and frustrated.

"This is no time for insubordination, Lawton! Obey, or I'm pressing the button!"

"Press it if you want. I've got an angry, green ghost owl with an arrow pointed at the back of my head telling me he'll shoot if I do. I'll get one shot off before I'm dead. That's hardly enough to clear a path, and this thing behind me is immune to bullets. I can't do squat."

Amanda Waller growled angrily through the radio.

"I'm going to secure the target with Killer Croc and Katana. Silencer, Deathstroke, Joker and Harley. Give Grundy backup! Get us a clear path, now! I don't care how you do it! Once Grodd sees us leaving, he'll turn his new weapons batteries on us. It's Lex Luthor's tech, so there's little chance we'll make it out unless we get evac from outside the city. If any of you want to see tomorrow, then obey my orders! Waller out!"

"She's mad, you know," Enchantress said as a swarm of flies began hovering over Princess Celestia. "We're all mad. You made us look like fools in Gotham. The shady bureaucrats Waller answers to were most upset. They look like fools to their bosses, and their bosses look like fools to their big political donors. We wanted at least one of you captured. We succeeded. Now we just need to leave."

She grimaced as another swarm of flies began hovering around her head. She swatted at them, and they momentarily dispersed. The humans gave one final push, and the Canterlot Guard retreated. Celestia groaned in pain.

"Honestly, I don't think either of us smells enough to justify all these flies. It must be the monkeys that populate this stinking city. I don't think they shower."

"Get back here, you stupid, little, orange…" Deathstroke said through gritted teeth. He swung his blades with skill and precision, but he hadn't been able to land a hit, yet. A pair of flaming pig monsters were fighting Parasite nearby. They rammed the metahuman over and over with flaming tackles that seemed to do almost as much damage to them as they did to Parasite. Deathstroke watched out of the corner of his eye as his comrade sent one of the things flying. The beast landed on his back with a painful grunt, but was quick to his feet.

"I think you need more than one eye for this fight," Applejack said as she kicked Deathstroke's legs out from under him. A moment of distraction had almost cost him the fight, but he recovered fast. He rolled into his fall and came up from underneath the pony to slash at her ribcage. This time, his swords struck home. They tore through her armor and grazed her skin.

"Two eyes ain't always better," Deathstroke said as he followed up on his success and continued to push Applejack backward. He came in close for a downward swing, but the earth pony countered with a ramming headbutt into his stomach that knocked him several feet back. He felt his ribs crack, and breathing became considerably more difficult.

"Four legs is always better than two, though," Applejack said. She grinned as Deathstroke gripped his stomach and coughed painfully. She pulled a saber from her waist and held it in her mouth, her eyes shining with challenge. "Especially when they're attached to a sturdy country pony like me."

"I guess I'll just have to remove some of those legs, then," Deathstroke said. He pulled himself to his feet, twirled his blades and continued the fight with renewed fury.

"Hey, get back here ya' dumb horse!" Harley Quinn yelled as she chased Pinkie Pie through the streets. "I'm supposed ta' be blowin' up buildings and stuff, but you're too annoying to let live!"

"Oh, hi!" Pinkie Pie said as she continued galloping down the street. She slowed down a bit to let Harley get closer, but still maintained a solid lead. "Long time no see! So, whatcha been doin'?"

"Thinkin' a ways to kill you!" Harley yelled. She pulled a handgun from her side and began firing at Pinkie Pie.

"Why is your world so dark and gruesome?" Pinkie Pie said as she dodged the bullets with relative ease. "You're dressed like a clown. I'd think you would know a bit more about fun!"

"I'm a crazy clown! Gacey's got nothin' on me and my puddin', and neither do you and your stupid horse friends!"

Pinkie Pie stopped suddenly as Harley reloaded, and kicked the woman's feet out from under her. Harley was propelled forward. She landed on her faced and flopped on her back.

"First off, my friends and I aren't stupid!" Pinkie Pie said as she pinned Harley down with a single hoof. Harley's head was pounding, her neck hurt and she had let go of her gun.

"Why are you so strong?" Harley said as she was prevented from rising off the ground. The pony held her down easily.

"Second off, you need a good, proper smile. One you get from feeling good about things that are good."

"Where are the Colony soldiers that were following me?" Harley said as she continued to struggle. She watched as fourteen pink sheep-like creatures walked up behind the pony. Behind them were three rabbit monsters. Two of them had bright yellow fur around their ears and paws. The one in the center had pink fur that matched the sheep. All of them, bunnies and sheep alike, walked on their hind legs.

"These are my friends, and I know for a fact that your soldiers aren't coming to help you," Pinkie Pie said as she pulled a rubber chicken and some party balloons from a pocket inside her mail armor. "How do I know that? Cuz' my friends are here! And if my friends are here that means your soldiers definitely aren't coming. Anyway, we're gonna teach you what a clown should be like. Together, I think we can get all that nasty badness out of you!"

"Puddin'! I need help!" Harley yelled.

"Don't worry!" Pinkie Pie replied as she lifted the woman off the ground and gave her a big hug. Try as she might, Harley couldn't escape the pink pony's grip. "We're gonna give you all the help you need!"

"That would be such a dapper suit if not for the bloodstains," Rarity said as she hid behind a stonewall. The civilian gorillas inside the home had already fled. Though the Joker had tried to shoot them as they ran, Rarity had managed to keep the human's attention long enough for them to escape. The Joker fired round after round from his shotgun now, keeping her in place as he made a steady advance.

"The bloodstains make it all the more impressive, my dear!" the Joker said. "It tells a story, and reminds me of all those who have come before."

"Before what?"

"Before you, of course! There have been seven other people I've killed in this outfit before you. You're the last one before I wash it!"

"I don't think so, darling," Rarity said. Though she spoke the last word out of habit, she almost choked on it. "Perhaps we can sit down and have a nice chat over a chai latte?"

"A spot of tea does sound nice, but I think I'll take your head to go!"

"That… that doesn't even make sense…" Rarity said as the Joker appeared around the corner and threw a rusty metal hook at her. She dodged sideways, but the hook still managed to catch on her mail dress. She pulled on it, and the Joker fought her. She proved stronger and yanked the chain out of his hand. He responded by raising his shotgun and firing point blank at her face.

The shot exploded, rebounding off of the steel body of the Mega Scizor that had landed in the small space between Rarity and the Joker. The Joker took the blast head on, his face a mask of surprise and shock.

"Ouchie," the Joker said, pathetically as he crashed to the ground. Then he broke out into insane laughter. "Whooboy! I did not see that one coming! I think I need a doctor, but… Wow! What a great joke! I'm glad I've got Bruno recording this in that tree over there! I know a few websites that'll find that hilarious!"

He tried to point to Bruno's hiding spot, but his arm was barely attached. It flopped over, making the Joker laugh even harder.

"He's such an awful person," Rarity said as she peeked out from behind Lady Suzuki. "I hate to leave him here, but I'm also hesitant to help him considering…"

"We have more important things to do," Lady Suzuki said. "We need to find Lex Luthor. He disappeared when Princess Twilight cast her darkness spell. We've got all our teams searching for him, but no luck."

"You know," the Joker said. His voice was growing softer as he began to drift out of consciousness. "Black Adam's here, too. Grodd doesn't know, and neither does Waller. Lex brought him in. Find Adam, and you'll find baldy."

"What are they planning?" Suzuki said, as she carefully lifted the Joker up off the ground. She had a vague idea of his reputation. She knew he didn't deserve it, but she still felt compassion for him.

"Do you know where all roads lead to?"

"Where?"

"My bestie!" Joker said. Then he gave one final laugh, and passed out.

"Hello, princess," Amanda Waller said as she walked through the circle of Colony soldiers to stand beside Enchantress. She smirked as she looked the pony over. "Not so tough without your magic, are you? That's a nasty wound. Don't worry, we'll take care of it so long as you comply."

"Where are Croc and Katana?" Enchantress asked.

"I sent them to make a hole for us in Grodd's defenses. The others aren't making much headway. We're going to have a long, unpleasant talk when we get back to Belle Reeve."

Celestia groaned, still holding her injured leg. There were more flies buzzing around her now. A swarm of them had formed over Enchantress and Waller, as well. Enchantress groaned as she looked up at the insects.

"Can we leave already, Waller? This stupid monkey town stinks to high heaven. Look at all the bugs it's attracted. They won't leave me alone!"

Enchantress swatted at the bugs, dispersing them for a moment before they reformed their swarm. Waller looked up at the flies and grimaced.

"You don't sense anything strange from them?"

"No, but then again the smell of this place makes it hard to sense much. It's a constant distraction. Fortunately, our little princess was in plain sight when I found her."

"Right," Waller said, still grimacing. "Soldiers, get this captive bagged and boarded! We're going home!"

"Ditto," one of the Colony soldiers said.

"What was that, soldier?" Waller said, suddenly very suspicious of her subordinates.

"Ditto," another soldier said. Together, all the Colony soldiers lifted their weapons to point directly at Waller and Enchantress. Even the men that had accompanied her to the target were now pointing their rifles at her while repeating that same word, as if it meant something other than what the dictionaries said.

"It seems we've been compromised," Enchantress said. She raised her hands to cast a spell, but one of the flies above her head transformed into a giant, purple insect and slammed her to the ground. She lay there, unconscious, as the other flies transformed into armed Changelings. The Canterlot Guard returned, as well. They had been waiting nearby, hiding behind buildings in preparation for this moment.

"You've been defeated yet again, human," Princess Celestia said as she rolled over onto her stomach. A couple of medical ponies ran up to her and began treating her wound. Her armor had taken most of the explosive force, but shrapnel and pieces of bullet had still passed through her leg. "I can't say I expected to be shot, but we made the best of the situation. You were defeated before this confrontation even began."

Waller put her head in her hands and groaned. Then the Canterlot Guards forced her to her knees so she could be tied up.


	12. Chapter 11

Twenty-four large Orthus stalked down the streets of Gorilla City, with twice as many pony handlers accompanying them. They were only feet from the palace. The guards had tried to push them back, but the Orthus had proved too ferocious, and the ponies too skilled at guiding them. At the center of their formation walked Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship. The bear-sized dogs guarded her with their lives, as did their handlers.

"You sure we're gonna get back home in time for the big battle royal, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash said as she walked alongside her friend. "I'm supposed to be helping the Wonderbolts carry unconscious combatants out of the forest."

"The battle royal isn't for two more days," Twilight said. "The setup for this mission took longer than the operation should. We'll be back home in plenty of time."

"Lex Luthor has been found," Thunderlane said through the radio on Twilight's saddlebag. Like Rainbow Dash, he had agreed to come and help lead the adventurers serving alongside the Royal Guard. "They're thirty miles to the west in the thick of the surrounding jungle. Percy's swarm has made contact. Darya and Delphine are closing in, and Lord Son isn't far behind. We're providing support."

"Understood," Rainbow Dash said through her own radio. "We're on our way."

She gave a shout to the ponies nearby and they began a swift run off to the west.

"You lied to me, Lex," King Grodd said as he stomped through the jungle next to the human. He was furious. He moved through the trees and underbrush, his mind distracted. He wanted to kill Lex for keeping such important information from him, but he was too busy looking through the eyes of his soldiers. They were falling back, being repelled by large, two-headed mastiffs and the small, brightly colored ponies that controlled them.

"You expected me to tell you everything? You know I don't trust anyone that much. Besides, it's not like we've been sharing secrets. That wasn't part of our business deal."

Grodd grunted. Lex had a point, but he still didn't like it. There was something terrible up ahead. He could sense it. Not through telepathy, or any faculty of his highly advanced mind. He felt it the same way a deer in a forest might sense it was being watched. His instincts were screaming at him to turn and run. Yet he was Grodd, rightful bearer of the speed force and ruler of Gorilla City. He could tell by their movements that his soldiers wanted to run, their own instincts yelling at them to flee for their lives. Even Lex Luthor's movements had become more slow and deliberate, as if he was forcing himself forward.

Grodd sneered at them all. He puffed out his chest and marched ahead. He had already deduced what drastic steps Lex had taken after the governments of the world had failed him so fully, and when they finally arrived there he was proven right. That did nothing to stop the spear that found his chest the moment he entered the clearing.

They were twenty minutes late. Something was terribly wrong. That thought had run through Batman's mind as he moved silently through the jungle. When he arrived at what must be a meeting site, he was greeted by his worst nightmare.

He stood at the top of a tall tree, shrouded by the shadows of its vines. Thirty feet below him, Gorilla Grodd was in a fight for his life against twelve Dead Waters. The grotesque, fish-like creatures stabbed at him with their spears. Batman could hear the faint sounds of fighting further east, and he deduced that Grodd had gone ahead of his soldiers for one reason or another. The gorilla king beat his enemies back, his sheer brutality and brilliant mind working in perfect unison. Yet he was covered in stab wounds, and the creatures were well trained. Behind them stood the Drowned. She held her trident at her side, watching her warriors fight as more Dead Waters slithered through the raging, dark portal in the center of the clearing. Batman made no noise as Drowned looked up, and for a moment they locked eyes.

A loud boom shook the air. Three forms crashed into the trees to the right of Grodd and his attackers. The largest was the first to stand. He was ten feet tall, with brutal spikes jutting out from all over his body. He lifted Wonder Woman from the ground and slammed her back down hard. Superman stood next, punching the monster with enough force to shatter the nearby trees and kill several Dead Waters. The monster flew backwards, letting Wonder Woman go as his body tore through the trees.

Grodd took the opportunity brought on by their distraction to retreat. The Drowned let him go. She glanced back toward Batman, and he grimaced. There wasn't much he could do right now, but that wasn't going to stop him from trying to help his friends. He leapt down to the ground, ran over to Diana's side and pulled her up to begin carrying her out. He was surrounded by Dead Waters before he could make a move.

"Grodd's gone for reinforcements," Lex Luthor said as he strode through the jungle brush to Batman's right. The monster Superman had punched was stomping forward, a thin line of blood trailing from his mouth. He was otherwise uninjured.

"Let him," Devastator said. "We won't be long here."

"Why go to these extremes Lex?" Superman said. Seven spears were pointed at his chest, but he paid them no attention. His gaze was fixed on the Doomsday monstrosity that was walking toward him. "Siding with Barbatos? That's insane, even for you."

"I'm not giving them our world," Lex said. "I'm giving them the battle that threatens it. You know the ponies and their strange, multi-species allies? Their worlds are like a paradise compared to ours, built on the ideals of love, trust and friendship. I'm sure there are a number of our doppelgangers on the other side that would love to tear apart something so pure. I learned enough during my brief time in Equestria to help these nightmares pull their worlds into the Dark Multiverse."

"And how does that save our world, exactly?" Wonder Woman said as she began to regain her senses. "They've only helped us. They're our friends."

"They're inexorably tied to Unicron. The Robot God holds their universe in the palm of his hand, as a treat to be devoured later. So long as he's tied to them, I believe he'll be pulled through with them. He'll need something pushing him, though. That's where the other god, Arceus, comes in."

"You inject a third god into the war between Darkseid and Unicron, and have them all fall into the Dark Multiverse together?" Batman said. On his right he held his friend Diana, and in his left hand was a batarang. He itched to throw it at Lex and escape, but that seemed impossible at the moment. The other Batmen would be expecting it. "What makes you think you can guide this 'Arceus' so easily?"

"It's insane, and thus unstable. It shouldn't be hard to get Arceus to do what we want under the right circumstances. We just point it in the right direction and let it loose."

"Like an arrow," said a third voice approaching from the depths of the portal that led to the Dark Multiverse. "We know quite a bit about arrows, don't we friends?"

A horde of children scampered into the clearing; their skin pale, and their faces contorted in painful smiles that mirrored the Joker's. Each of them wore a steel collar around their neck with a chain attached to it that led back to the dark figure approaching behind them. Blood stained their clothes in places, and their hands ended in sharp claws. The pillars of the Justice League scowled as the Batman Who Laughs walked out into the jungle.

"Don't think I haven't taken my own precautions, Batman," Lex Luthor said as he, too, scowled at the new arrival. His bright blue battle armor hummed with power as its A.I. system analyzed the threat. "Your element of surprise is gone. We know who and what you are. I'm prepared for any inevitable betrayal."

"Oh, no betrayal here, baldy," the Batman Who Laughs said, his twisted, bloody smile spreading ear to ear. "You're giving me something wonderful to play with; two worlds full of promise and optimism. I can't wait to tear them down piece by piece until they're all smiling like me, or until they're dead. Whichever comes first."

"Bring it on, fool!" yelled yet another voice from the jungle. A swarm of fifty Vikavolt burst out of the trees, electricity coursing along their exoskeletons. The Dead Waters screamed as they were fried by fifty thunderbolts at once. More came through the portal, erupting into the Light Multiverse with blood-curdling war cries. Alongside them were men and women with sharp, bony protrusions sticking out of their skin and through their clothes. Though much smaller, they resembled the massive, grey monster that had crashed into the jungle floor with Superman and Wonder Woman.

Two hundred of them collided with the swarm of Vikavolt, alongside one hundred and fifty Dead Waters. The Vikavolt were overwhelmed for a moment before two more swarms backed them up. They were composed of many different bug-types, and led by a pair of Yanmega. The sky shook with their coming as four-dozen Bug Buzz attacks cascaded over the enemy foot soldiers. Lightning struck the ground, thrown from clouds by pegasus ponies. The Dead Waters fell first, followed by the weakest of the doomsday virus humans.

The three swarms formed together as more reinforcements came through from the Dark Multiverse. A dozen earth ponies and an equal number of unicorns charged through the jungle brush to join the Pokémon, and together they launched a desperate push against the approaching horrors.

"Greetings, friends," Lord Son said as he marched through the flora to join the superheroes. A large group of Cammerupt and Magcargo surrounded their enormous Darmanitan leader. The ground beneath them burned as they moved, and the trees set fire. A group of pegasi followed them, carrying storm clouds to put out the blaze they left in their wake.

"Greetings," Wonder Woman said, as she watched the fire-types move steadily into position. The superheroes smiled at the novelty of such a strange sight, though their eyes took in the fire that the ponies were fighting. "Are you sure you're the… right group for this type of battlefield?"

"It's Ok, ma'am," one of the pegasus ponies said. The Cammerupt and Magcargo were breathing Flamethrowers on the enemy, igniting the trees on the far side of the clearing and forcing their allies to withdraw to a safe distance. Though destructive, the sheer heat produced by their attack devastated the nightmare horde. "We'll bring in a proper rainstorm when this is done and get all the fires put out. We've already got a team on it now."

"Good, good," said the Batman Who Laughs, his grin widening a bit as he took in the colorful creatures. He waved his hand dismissively as he turned to walk back through the portal. "Let's pack it up, folks! It's still too early. If we taste the dish now, it'll ruin the enjoyment. I want to go in ravenous and unspoiled."

Lex Luthor The other two Batmen scowled at the Batman Who Laughs, but followed him through nonetheless. The portal closed behind them, and they abandoned their troops to their fate. The second the last horror died, the sky broke open and rain poured down.

"It's better to let them go than to try and stop them," Batman said, grimacing. "Their presence brings only decay and destruction. Their plans for you are…"

"Bad," Lord Son said, simply. "We know. We've got our best psychics on it. With any luck, we'll be able to build a solid plan based on their visions."

"The Dark Multiverse is… disturbing, to say the least," Joan said as she levitated above the ground just outside of Gorilla City. A number of human soldiers, their guns taken and destroyed, were making their way through the jungle behind Joan, Dorris and the psychic-types they were leading. A group of Granbul were barking at them to encourage them to keep moving. The soldiers complied nervously. What they didn't know was that the Granbul were just as nervous, and were trying to get them gone.

"It's a never-ending nightmare," Dorris said. The Meowstic grimaced as she looked through the minds of the three nightmare Batmen. "Their leaders know we're reading their minds, and they find it funny. At least, the one with the big smile does. Just looking at what he's done to his own world lets me know all I need to about him. Our next encounter won't be pleasant."

"On the bright side, we know their plan and we've taken the appropriate precautions," Joan said.

"Something tells me it won't be enough," Dorris said, nervously.

"Those monsters thrive off of knowing everything there is to know about their enemy. Lex only saw Ponyville and Arceus' throne. He can't possibly prepare them fully."

"This whole venture has just been one big mess," Dorris said. "It's made it nearly impossible to keep up with future events. Everything is so confusing."

"Speaking of confusing, why did you request I pull out of the mission to Unicron's Throne?" Joan asked. "You seemed desperate to keep me home."

"Why did you insist Charles stay home to take part in that crazy battle royal?"

"I had a bad premonition," Joan replied, with a frown. Thinking back on her vision was painful. "I told Charles and he insisted he'd be fine. Korrish helped me convince him to stay. She's genuinely concerned for him. It helped that we both believed his presence would be good for the other participants. Charles decided that he wanted to help once we told him."

"I had a bad premonition, though mine was about you," Dorris replied. There was silence for a moment before Joan responded.

"You know, there will be loss of life regardless of who goes."

"But there is only one path to success, and it doesn't involve you or Charles."

There was silence once more as the weight of the future bore down heavily on the psychic-types.


	13. Chapter 12

Applejack panted heavily as she primed her body to dodge another swing. Slade was far more skilled and far more experienced than she was. The only thing that kept her alive was her slightly superior strength and athletic abilities. So far, she had held her own. She looked sideways to see her Emboar friends finishing off their strange enemy.

They were hurt too, but they had outlasted that bizarre human despite his ability to absorb their flames. If they hadn't been so incredibly tough, or so determined to win, they wouldn't have made it. As it was, they were too wounded to be of any help to Applejack but that didn't stop them from limping over to her side.

"Heh," Deathstroke said, as he twirled his swords at his side. "You put up a good fight. Just not good enough."

"You ain't won yet," Applejack said. She spat on the ground and began a slow, calculated walk forward. She had hurt the human. Shortly after breaking his ribs, she had fractured his left leg. Ever since, she had focused the majority of her attacks on those two weak spots. "For all yer bluster, you're not in any condition ta' win. I'm the only one here without a limp."

"But you're the only one who's lost over a pint of blood," Deathstroke said. He pointed at the slash he had made on Applejack's back. It had stopped bleeding only seconds ago, and every move the earth pony made felt like it would tear open again. "Your hits don't pack the punch they did at the start of this fight. The way I see it, I've got this in the…"

He stopped mid-sentence. Together, all four combatants looked at the women kneeling over Parasite. One of them, dressed in a silver outfit with a rifle strapped to her back, was busy checking his pulse. The other one wore a black and red outfit, and she carried a long, curved sword at her waist.

"Fight's over," the woman with the sword said, as she rose to her feet. Parasite's chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. The woman dressed in silver pulled some salve from one of the pouches on her belt and began applying it to Parasite's burns. "We lost, Slade."

"Did you two even fight?" Deathstroke asked, angrily.

"No. I won't fight friends of the Justice League, not even for Waller. I sat this one out."

"I did the same," Silencer said. "I don't have one of her bombs in my head, either. My boy loves Superman, and Katana made a good argument for not fighting. It's time to stand down. You don't want the big guy to see you trying to decapitate his friends, do you?"

"I better get paid," Deathstroke grumbled as he sheathed his swords.

"So, you're a friend?" Applejack asked the newcomer.

"I am," Katana said. She walked over to the pony and began taking medical supplies out of the brown duffle bag she was carrying. "Lay down. I'll wash that out and get it bandaged."

"Thanks," Applejack replied. She fell to the ground exhausted as the woman began her work.

"Hello, friends," Princess Celestia said as she walked toward Lady Dorris and Lady Joan. She held her injured back leg gingerly, putting as little weight as possible on it. The Pokémon bowed as she approached, and greeted the superheroes that followed her. Behind them was the full force of ponies and Pokémon, their human captives held in chains and ropes.

"Princess, please consider our request," Diana said. "As a fellow princess, I understand your concern for your people but I don't think your plan is wise. I fear your forces aren't sufficient, nor is your knowledge of the enemies you face."

"I am desperate to save Equestria," Princess Celestia said, looking up at the Amazon princess. "Making our stand here won't pull my world from Unicron's palm."

"But the evil Batmen were cast back into the Dark Multiverse and imprisoned with their god," Superman said. "Some were slain in battle, and the rest were left to die when we used the tenth metal to recreate everything. There must be an explanation for their return, and we need to find it. They are a dire threat to both of us."

"I know how the Batman Who Smirks got free," the Joker said as he walked up beside Rarity, Fluttershy and Lady Suzuki. Bandages were wrapped around him like a straight jacket, completely immobilizing his arms. "It was Black Adam. He freed the Dark Knights, and Barbatos brought the dead ones back to life. He's currently waiting for direction on the other side. Baldy told me when he tried to get me to join up."

"Is Barbatos free, too?" Batman asked, his voice low with a hint of fear.

"No, Adam couldn't break the Over-Monitor's chains. He could only break the ones you lot created around the bodies of those grim-dark freaks."

"They all just need a hug from some bunnies and sheepies!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she marched up with her group of Flaafy and Lopunny. Harley Quinn rode on her back, a broad smile on her face and tears streaming down her cheeks. Her feet were held out in front of her to keep them from dragging on the ground. She looked at her captors nervously, as if afraid.

"I know that hugs from bunnies and sheep are great," Fluttershy said, with a bright smile. "But I don't know if they're enough to cure evil."

"I dunno. The shock therapy from my Flaafy friends seemed to fix Harley here. She's been fairly pleasant for a couple hours now."

"It wasn't the shocks," Harley Quinn said, her smile still wide and a note of desperation in her voice. "I been usin' defective joy buzzers for years in my slapstick act. It was the singin'! All the singin' about friendship and parties for little kids! No love songs? No cabaret music?"

"Princess Cadance knows some songs, but I don't think this is the time or place. We don't even have a piano, and I doubt the monkies here would want to be our audience. I'm pretty sure they just want us to leave."

"Fine! Take me back to Belle Reeve already! Someone hurry and do it before I snap! I don't wanna be a goody-two-shoes!"

"We aren't going back to your prison right now," Batman said. "There's too much to discuss."

"I'll do it myself then!" Harley yelled as she rolled off of the pony's back. She had been hesitant to draw the knife she kept in her back pocket with her captors watching her so closely, but she drew it now out of desperation. Before she could begin cutting her bonds, Pinkie Pie wrapped her in a tight hug.

"It's Ok, crazy lady," Pinkie Pie said as she squeezed Harley until her bones cracked. "Go to sleep now, and when you wake up I promise you'll have a big, happy surprise!"

Harley gasped for air, but couldn't gulp it down due to Pinkie's tight grip. After a few seconds of struggling, she passed out.

"Was that truly necessary?" Rarity asked, eyeing the human in concern.

"Unfortunately, yes," Pinkie Pie responded. "That's the third time I've had to do it, too. Do you have any makeup on you, Rare?"

"Yes, and a change of clothes in the suitcases next to Lady Dorris if anyone else is interested."

"Wanna help me give her a makeover? I bet a bright pink dress would make her super happy!"

"It'll take a bit of redesign, but that sounds lovely," Rarity said as she lifted the suitcase and carried it over to her friend's side.

"Anyway…" Wonder Woman said, as she watched the ponies pull a curtain out of Rarity's large suitcase and begin Harley's makeover. "We both face the same threats, Princess Celestia. We should work together to overcome them."

"We already have a plan to assault Unicron's throne in order to release the dark god's grip on our reality," Princess Celestia said as she lay down next to the psychic-type leaders. Mage Meadowbrook and her healers began to change the bandages on her leg once more. "There is more to our strategy, though. We have a plan to trap our foes all on one battlefield. Doing so would allow us to more effectively encourage their face them on a single front. Would you be willing to help us accomplish this?"

"So long as it's nowhere near earth," Superman said.

"I promise you, your world will not be in anymore danger than it already is, Superman."

"And what of Equestria?" said the furious, brutal voice of Lord Megatron. He stomped through the forest out of a spacebridge that had opened just a second ago. Behind him marched Starscream and four elite Decepticon Berserkers. Megatron held a chain in one hand with four Pokémon held in thrall; two Rhyperior and two Aggron. Their eyes were bright and ferocious, searching for some opening to break free and attack their captors. "Whose crosshairs do you think your world is in now, Princess? Unicrons? Yes, the Chaos Bringer does have you in his sights but we are first in line to destroy you."

"You will release my soldiers, Lord Megatron," Princess Celestia said, dangerously. She rose from the ground, her leg only half-way bandaged. Meadowbrook frowned and continued treating it.

"You sent them to steal from me," Megatron growled dangerously. "They nearly scrapped Shockwave and his subordinates. It took two days to capture them. Their small size gave them many hiding places, and our minicons had a great deal of trouble rooting them out all those holes the dug underneath our city."

"If you had been honest with us and willing to help from the beginning, I wouldn't have had to steal from you."

"Why you insignificant little…" Megatron said, but Princess Twilight used her magic to speak over him.

"Enough, Lord Megatron," she said. She walked to Celestia's side and joined her friend in glowering at the monstrous Transformer. "Since you're here, I think it's logical to bring you in on our plan. From what I've been told, your forces are powerful. You could help us."

"I do not despise organic life as I once did," Lord Megatron said, dangerously. "But as of this moment, I despise you. Why should I listen to anything you have to say?"

"Because their plan might actually work," said a calm, commanding voice from behind the robot warlord. A second spacebridge had opened not far from Megatron's spacebridge, and through it walked Optimus Prime and Lio Convoy. Riding atop Lio Convoy's back was the Mega Gengar, Master Trickster. He was grinning ear-to-ear, and staring at Megatron with curiosity and the anticipation of violence. "We have already been contacted. Their messengers briefed us on the basics of their plan. Now we arrive to hear the rest."

Megatron growled. Then, after a moment, he sighed.

"Fine," he said. "Get on with it."

"What do you have there?" asked Starswirl the Bearded as he watched Master Satori and his two companions walk through the door of Princess Twilight's library. They all held bags full of food. Trixie carried a cake on her back, and held four large coolers above her head with telekinesis.

"I have the makings of a wonderful picnic," the Oranguru replied. "Give us a hoof in putting this together, if you please."

"Gladly," the elder unicorn said. He and Starlight set aside their work on the mother box and began to help put together the picnic. "Who else is coming?"

"We've invited Pinkie Pie and my other sisters," Maud said. "Fluttershy and Rarity are coming, too."

"And where, pray tell, are we going?" Starlight Glimmer asked.

"To make a new friend," Master Satori said, with a calm smile on his face. "Master Ryu will be joining us, too. He got in touch a few minutes ago. He's just found our friend."

"And where is this new friend?"

"Kanto. With her help, we hope to cancel out one threat with another."


	14. Chapter 13

"Are we ready?" Medusa asked. She was standing on a hill just outside of the largest forest in all the Zones of Nature. The battle royal was only a day away, and she was busy preparing her strategy.

"We're ready as we're gonna get," Mario said. The Poliwrath flexed his muscles to stretch the tension out of them. He seemed calm, but Medusa knew better. He was nervous, as were all the Pokémon under Medusa's command. She could tell from the way the occasionally looked at the forest, as if expecting something to charge out of it at any moment. They all did it when they thought others weren't watching. Some of them shared small quips about the coming battle, often followed by nervous laughter.

She had more support than she had expected. There were the Gigalith, Ford and Decker with ten Boldore. They had brought a pair of Forretress, Marie and Germain, who were commanding two-dozen bug-types. A Throh named Kyuzo, and a Sawk named Tenshin had taken command of a group of twenty-four fighting-types to support Medusa's cause. They were all disciples of Lord Gallah, and were all eager for a fight.

Sixty-five fairy-types had followed Sassy into the battle royal. The Granbul champion stood in the forefront of the small army, her purple, unembroidered cape blowing in the gentle wind. Mario, a particularly strong Poliwrath, had brought a number of water-types equal to Sassy's fairy-types. He and his brother, a Politoed named Luigi, were perspective champions themselves. Luigi was nervous about taking up the challenge required to gain the title though, and Mario was determined that they take it together. Medusa had convinced them that if they managed to reach their destination together, then they should take up the quest to conquer the four zones of nature and become champions.

Royce, the troublemaking Toxicroak, had brought fifty-two poison-types all approved by Lady Rose. He and his cousin Conor, a bulky Seismitoad, were laughing and joking among their poison-type followers. Yet, for all these numbers they were still outmatched fifty-to-one by each of their rival groups.

"Are you all prepared?" Lord Bartholomew asked. He was watching her organize her fighters from a line of trees several yards away. He approached with her children next to him. They were packed tightly around the young lord, and quite relaxed.

"We are," Medusa said. She couldn't help but smile to see how well her children had taken to Bartholomew. "I wish you could stay, my lord."

Medusa frowned. It was painful saying goodbye like this. Her children frowned too, their eyes wet with tears. She had comforted them the night before, but it was still difficult to see Bartholomew off to battle.

"I wish I could, too," Lord Bartholomew said. "But the princesses have come to a compromise with our allies. The original plan goes forward, with some significant changes. The Cybertronians and the human heroes hope to strike at the heart of the conflict and stop it with this mission. Our side isn't so sure that's possible. We'll give them all the support we can, but our goals aren't the same. The greater part of our force will be fighting to free Equestria from Unicron's clutches."

"Good luck, Bartholomew," Medusa said. She hugged him tightly, as did her children. She didn't want to let him go, but she knew she had to. He hugged her back, and she could feel his desire to stay in the tightness of his grip. Eventually, though, she kissed him on the cheek and they separated. "Be safe."

"Thank you," Bartholomew said. He was blushing. "I will return to you. I promise."

He paused awkwardly, his hands grasping the air as if their emptiness felt strange and uncomfortable. Then, with a final nod of his head, he turned and left. Medusa wiped away the tears in her eyes, and sighed. Her children gathered around her, and gave her a comforting hug.

"I want to go with you," Jone said, her arms crossed in frustration as she glared at a nearby tree. Her brother was next to her, a proud smile on his face.

"You could, if you wanted to," Gallah said. "Dorris can't force you to stay."

"I made a promise, though," Joan said, though there was hesitation in her voice as if she didn't want to believe her own words. "Promises shouldn't be broken."

"It's good you're staying. I get the feeling you're needed here. I can't say what might happen, but my intuition tells me it's good for you to stay. You feel it too, don't you?"

"I do," Joan sighed. "As did Dorris, though that wasn't her primary reason. She was worried I'd be killed if I went. She had a vision similar to the one I had for Charles. I agreed to her promise partly because… I just feel like I'm needed here, somehow. But Dorris' vision could be wrong, as could my intuition and yours. We could all be wrong. It could be that I play a vital role to this mission, and we fail if I stay."

"It's our curse to second guess ourselves," Gallah said with a small chuckle. "The psychic-types of God's Breath have perfected the art of seeing the future as closely as we can, but for all our skill it's still an unknown that we're compelled to question. Will our visions really come true? Is the awful fate we just foresaw for our friends and family really meant to happen? Are we right to try and stop it? The thought is terrible, but could their deaths be necessary? Did we miss something in that vision? Is there something we should have done differently in response to the future we foresaw? These second guesses… these questions are the primary reason we suffer casualties during heavily predicted battles."

"Or is the reason we suffer losses that we just aren't fast enough?" Joan said, voicing the other side of the argument. "Seconds in a battle cost lives. Seeing the future and making sense of it take time. It's filled with confusion, even without second guesses. With so many creatures doing so many different things, both on the battlefield and off of it, it's often impossible to tell where a chain of events begins and ends. Then there's the need to analyze all of the various outcomes of every possible decision. To do it in a manner that even comes close to being perfect, how many thousands… how many millions of psychic-types would we need? Would it ever be enough?"

"The current consensus among the Slowking College is that… we don't know," Gallah said, with a heavy sigh. He was still smiling, but there was a sorrow in his heart that was shared by all the leaders of God's Breath. They all mourned those who died under their command. "There are always nagging questions about what more we could have done, especially among us psychic-types. We can't know these things for sure, and so we must simply do our best. That's what Master Satori said when he lectured us on this topic last, wasn't it?"

"It was," Joan said softly. She gave her brother a tight hug. "Please, just be safe."

"I will," Gallah responded as he returned her hug. "I will do my best."

The next day started early for everyone involved in the battle royal. The teams gathered around the edge of the forest, awaiting the call to start. High in the sky sat a stadium made of clouds. It had been built by one hundred pegasus ponies, and enchanted by Princess Cadance to let wingless creatures walk on it. In the center of the stadium were four gigantic viewing screens, operated by Pikachu and Pichu. They were connected to the thousands of camera drones that flew through the forest below to bring the images of the fight to the spectators in the stadium.

"Is there something wrong Quincy? Xiao?" Mistress Ceto asked as she glanced over her shoulder at the two Decidueye that stood to attention behind her. They had been a bit distracted all morning.

"N-no," Xiao said. He was the oldest of the Decidueye, and an influential leader among their kind. Though younger, Quincy had almost as much respect as his elder for his skill in leading others. "I just wonder at your decision to hold us here, Mistress. We were supposed to help Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight Sparkle in their assault on Gorilla City. If I may ask ma'am, why did you hold us back? We would have been great assets to their plan."

"You would have been," Mistress Ceto said with a sly smile. "But you're both rather cute, and Gallah was busy. Besides, I'm sure Yue will handle things effectively."

"The boy is an excellent shot, that is true," Xiao said, his voice tensing as a pang of worry stabbed his heart. "But he tends to freeze…"

"Papa!" Archi yelled as he soared over to land on Xiao's shoulder. Poe repeated his friend's cry of joy, but he was focused on Quincy. The young Rowlet perched atop their father's shoulders and gave them both a tight hug.

"Where are your human friends?" Quincy asked his son.

"They left us here," Poe said. The tiny Rowlet frowned sadly at the thought. "Miss Medusa already told Leon he couldn't go. Twilight and the other girls agreed. They said the next part is too dangerous, but…"

"But nothing," Quincy said. "They were right. It would be far too dangerous for them too, if not for their Rainbow Power. Now, go find your seats with your friends."

The Rowlet obeyed.

"Do you doubt your eldest son's capabilities?" Mistress Ceto asked Xiao a minute later. Archi was talking excitedly with his friends now. They were too focused on the coming battle to hear the conversation.

"No," Xiao said. He smiled as he watched his youngest son talk to his friends. "I suppose not. The boy is good and he tends to freeze up when something doesn't go his way. It's a habit of our kind that I've sought to train him out of, but I will have faith in him. He's not alone, afterall."

Mistress Ceto smiled and turned her attention back to the battlefield preparations being displayed on the screens overhead.

"Are you sure this will be suitable for Flurry Heart?" Princess Cadance asked as she sat between Mistress Ceto and Lady Welshi several minutes later. Xiao and Quincy bowed to her, and spread themselves out a bit further to act as her guardians as well.

"Sure it will!" Lady Welshi said, from her seat atop her Venusaur attendant, Morrison. Though she walked with a limp now and she had trouble moving quickly, the Whimsicott's recovery had been miraculous. "No one will be seriously hurt. It's Pokémon Battle Rules! Those who are deemed unable to fight will be removed from the battlefield and their injuries will be treated."

"I don't see why everyone thinks this is necessary. Couldn't they settle their differences over tea?"

"That would be more pleasant under normal circumstances, but the two gangs hate each other. Tea would erupt into a Pokémon battle regardless."

"The winner earns the right to fight Charles," Mistress Ceto said. "That is a powerful incentive for all three groups. This will be a wonderful event, but I'm still not sure you should be out of bed, Welshi."

"I'm fine, mistress! Honest," Welshi said. She leapt to her feet and did a little dance atop Morrison's back, but she was unsteady. She quickly lost her footing, and fell. Morrison caught her with his vines and sat her back down on the wooden chair he had strapped to the top of his flower. Mistress Ceto frowned in concern and disapproval.

"I'm amazed you can do that much after the injuries you sustained from fighting Charles," Cadance said. Flurry Heart was sitting in front of her, playing with a purple, stuffed bear. "And now all those other Pokémon want to fight him? They must know how strong he is."

"They do," Welshi said, her voice softening a bit. "They also know what he did to me. I mean, I'm a Whimsicott! We can scrunch our bodies, organs and all, down so much we can fit through any gap! Do you know how much force it takes to burst one of our lungs? Or break our bones? Or squeeze our nervous system until the tissues rip apart? I do. Charles does too, and every Pokémon down there knows what he did to me. That's…"

She paused for a moment, her heart suddenly filled with pain and fear. She wiped the tears from her eyes and struggled to put her happy smile back in place.

"All sides in this battle have voiced their desire to avenge you, my dear," Mistress Ceto said, soothingly. "They seek to avenge us all on Charles for what he's done to us."

"But he apologized!" Welshi said. "And I forgave him. I could tell he was sincere. I don't want to see any of them hurt. Not even Charles."

"Think of this as the last big step toward forgiveness," Mistress Ceto said. "I think it will do us all some good."

"I hope so," Cadance replied. "A society with such resentment in their hearts is doomed to tear itself apart."

"Which is exactly why we allow these battles, dear Cadance. Do you see the wisdom now?"

"I think I do," Cadance said as she lifted Flurry Heart off of the ground and set her next to Welshi. The baby alicorn gave Welshi a hug to help cheer her up. Welshi pulled some cotton from her hair, made a makeshift doll and they began playing together. Then, the Princess of Love flew to the small stage underneath the viewing screens to announce the beginning of the match.

Princess Celestia was in no condition to fight. Mage Meadowbrook had forbid her from taking part in the action, so she sat in a chair in the caves of the planet they were using to assault Unicron's Throne. Before her was a holographic table that projected the battlefield; a gift from the primes. She would direct her forces from here alongside Lady Dorris and her psychic circles.

"I was told you wouldn't be fighting with us, Lord Micronus," Lady Dorris said. The Meowstic purred as she watched the prime curiously.

"I spoke to the other primes," Micronus said. "We are all taking part in this assault. They will come with the majority of our forces and I will join them. Vector Prime is already making preparations."

"Lord Megatron jumped at the chance strike at Unicron directly," Celestia said. "He wasn't even bothered that I'm using him as a distraction. He honestly believes he can end this threat here and now."

"We have enough firepower to do significant damage, what with the human heroes and that green planet they brought," Micronus said. "When combined with our own weaponry, we may be able to crush both Unicron's army and Darkseid's. There is the problem of the third force, though. That God of War, Ares, and his endless army of the dead. He's been stoking the flames of this conflict on both sides ever since he entered. It's only escalated since his arrival, with no end in sight. Then, of course, there's the fourth threat you spoke of when earlier…"

"The nightmares from the Dark Multiverse are being dealt with. Their plans will be extremly difficult to accomplish, and they are dealing with forces they have no knowledge of. We have the advantage."

Megatron flew alongside a horde of spirits, high in the atmosphere of the planet that the Primes had captured. They were one of many such hordes, providing extra protection for this planetary base of operations. They were the second line of defense, as well. Out in space were their fellow spirits, forming a massive tide of souls that flew through the void by the will of the god they called Palkia. They took the form of the strange creatures Megatron had seen in the city of God's Breath during his brief visit. As he had walked to the palace for the war council, he had marveled at the diversity of its citizens. Now, next to these strange phantoms, he couldn't help but feel unnerved.

"It's strange," Lord Megatron said to the smokey, three-eyed creature beside him. "The ones in your city actually registered on my sensors as organic."

"That's because they were," Master Trickster said. The Mega Gengar's grin never faltered, and his third eye never lost sight his destination, far in the distance. However, his other two eyes had never left Megatron.

"What are you creatures then? Why are the ones here non-organic while those in your city were?"

"When you die, you're supposed to leave your body behind. What you see here are the Forces of Destruction; poor, pitiful Pokémon who died unfairly and tried to hold onto the forms they had in life. So, Dark Arceus let them. Though purely spirit, they maintain a composition resembling their previous bodies. Even their types remain the same as they were in life. The only difference is that they're dead!"

Trickster broke out in laughter, but the Transformers around him couldn't see the joke.

"You unsettle them, brother," Lord Ra said as he and his wife floated down to Trickster's side. The large Cofagrigus and his Froslass consort wore many jewels that glimmered strangely in the darkness. "We want them to be brave going into battle, not worried and fearful."

"They're supposed to be powerful, merciless conquerors but they fear death like all the living," Master Trickster said, scornfully.

"That's no reason to tease them," Sakura said. The Froslass hid a smirk behind her hand as she glanced over at Megatron. "There's nothing wrong with being afraid, though I'm a bit surprised a 'brave' warlord like Megatron would show such emotion."

The Decepticon Warlord yelled angrily and swung at her, but his arm went through her body harmlessly.

"You're right!" Trickster said. "If we had the same destination, I'd offer to hold their hands. Perhaps we can send some Haunter to accompany them as bodyguards."

The ghost-type leaders broke out in laughter.

"I'll withdraw my forces now if you don't cease this insulting behavior," Lord Megatron said, his voice tight and seething with anger.

"And miss the glory of such a battle?" Lord Ra said, condescendingly. "You and your Decepticons would be called cowards for generations. The ponies of Equestria and their neighboring kingdoms are taking part in this assault. You would flee when they would stay?"

A mighty roar echoed through the air. Far below them flew Torch and five hundred of his full-grown dragons. One thousand smaller dragons flew around them, and at the head of the flight was Dragon Lord Ember. Alongside an army of other flyers, from Hippogryphs and Gryphos to various species of Pokémon, they were the third line of defense.

"Then again," Master Trickster said. "Perhaps it's better if we handle this situation without you, Lord Megatron. You're free to return to the safety of your homes."

"When this is over, I will find a way to kill you," Megatron said, his voice low and furious. "I don't care if you're already dead. I will find a way!"

Trickster, Ra, and Sakura laughed as the Decepticon Warlord transformed into his jet mode and flew off to another part of the formation. His warriors followed with angry grumbles and glares.

"I see it," Optimus Prime said. "There, in the distance. We are seven light-years away. At our current speed, we should arrive in twenty minutes."

"There they are," Lio Convoy said, his voice low and awestruck. "The two gods, Unicron and Darkseid. They sit upon their thrones, larger than suns, staring down at the planet below where their avatars fight each other for dominance. Their entire essence is poured into those avatars. The massive bodies that watch are their astral forms; the true representations of their beings."

"Our destination is the astral form of Unicron, which holds a thread to our universe," Princess Luna said. She sat atop the noble Optimus Prime's shoulder. Next to them sat Lio Convoy in his white lion form. "I'm surprised your eyes can see so far away."

"Our optic sensors are quite advanced, and have evolved over the eons alongside our technology. Though not practical for most combat situations, we are capable of high levels of magnification."

"Majesty," one of the Canterlot guards said as he came to hover in the air next to the princess. "We have our first battlefield report, courtesy of the Autobot scouting team. There is an unforeseen battlefield condition."

"What is it?" Princess Luna asked.

"There seems to be some disorder in the ranks of the enemy. The three armies that are fighting have all suffered large numbers of deserters. Those deserters have gathered together to form their own army. It seems to be focused on the defense of a large necrotitan from Unicron's army."

"That is impossible," Lio Convoy said. "Unicron's forces would never turn against his command. They are bound by his will, unable to disobey even if they wanted to."

"The same can be said for the Parademons and the undead that follow Ares," Superman said, as he floated down to hover next to the princess. "They serve only their masters."

"There seems to be some sort of music emanating from the titan they protect," the Canterlot Guard said. "Whatever comes close is either destroyed, or falls into ranks with the deserters. One of our scouts was hypnotized by it, and had to be forcefully dragged away."

"Oh my," Discord said. He had been hovering around the treetops just above Optimus Prime's head. "I know where I'm going first!"

"Discord," Princess Luna yelled. "We need you for our assault!"

"You have the Creation Trio," Discord said, pointing up at the sky where the newly crowned kings of God's Breath could be seen flying just outside of the atmosphere. They were at the front of the formation, pulling the planet and the Pokémon shades with them as they traveled. "You'll be fine. Besides, while they're engaging those astral forms, I can help our new friends distract their armies. It'll be fine!"

He popped out of view, transporting himself to the battlefield instantly. Luna sighed.

"Good luck, my friends," Luna said as she took to the sky to rally her troops. Celestia would be ready by now. Soon, this planet would be filled with the sounds of battle. Defenders could be seen hiding in the foliage, preparing for the invasion. Ponies and soldiers from their many allied kingdoms, as well as the Pokémon of God's Breath, were all preparing to hold their ground.

"Good luck," the primes responded. As Luna left Optimus' shoulder, Micronus' ship flew up from the surface to fetch the primes and carry them to the battlefield. Time and space rippled in the void, visible from the captured planet. Cybertron and its colony worlds appeared, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of ships. Every Lantern Corps lifted off of Oa, flying out in space to begin their assault on Unicron and Darkseid. They were so close now that the world where the two titanic gods fought could still be seen. It was a massive planet from the Dead Universe, and it was being drowned in warfare.

That view soon vanished, though. As the superheroes and the Transformers made their way to the primary battlefield, the endless tide of souls surrounded the lone world that belonged to them and guided it to the Throne of Unicron.


	15. Chapter 14

The first twenty minutes of the battle royal were all about organizing the forward advance. Medusa expected that the other two groups weren't taking the steady, methodical approach she was. She knew it would be slower starting out, but she hoped her organization would help her keep pace in the long run, and if they were extremely lucky, make it to the goal.

To win, all they had to do was make it to the center of the forest where an arena awaited them. Within that arena was Charles. The prize was the chance to fight him, and hopefully claim some measure of revenge. There was only one entrance to the arena where Charles waited, and only one team was allowed to inside.

"I can hear the breaking of trees in the distance," Sassy said. Her ears twitching as she focused on the faint noise. "The gangs are already fighting each other. Any chance they forget about us?"

"No," Medusa said. "Lady Sasha and Lady Potpourri would never allow such an oversight. They won't bother with us until we get close to them, but I'm positive they're on the lookout."

"All we have to do is get to the center, right?" Ford asked. The Gigalith and their Boldore subordinates moved through the forest slowly. Along with the other bulky Pokémon in the group, they were the first line of defense. They formed a circle around the support teams and the Pokémon adept at special attacks.

"Correct," Medusa said. She was riding atop Ford's brother, Decker. "That's why we're making a break for it. We'll take out small groups we come across, and skirt around the larger battles. Does everyone remember their teams?"

The group shouted their affirmation eagerly.

"Good. I know we can win. We just have to be smart."

"There's… a battle up ahead," a Poliwhirl said. He was huffing and out of breath.

"Step into the lake and relax a moment," Medusa told the Poliwhirl, motioning toward the lake that her group had stopped by. He obeyed, diving into the water and coming up refreshed. "Now, finish your report."

"There were a bunch of Spinda dancing around a big Slaking. They were moving through the brush slowly, but the Slaking wasn't stopping for breaks. I think the Audino on his shoulder changed his ability with a Simple Beam."

"It's Pedro, then," Mario said. "He's one of the major challenges for becoming a champion, isn't he?"

"He is," Medusa said. "To become a champion you must conquer the zones of nature, specifically the most powerful fighters therein. Some of them are too powerful to defeat without significant strategy. My attacks alone weren't enough to defeat Pedro. He always managed to heal himself with Slackoff when I thought I had him. To win, I had to break trees so that they would land on him during his downtime in conjunction with my normal attacks. It took a great many trees landing on his head to force him to relent."

"So how do we stop him when his ability's been changed?" Decker asked. The Gigalith's eyes narrowed in thought. "I've fought him before too, and I lost. He hit me harder than I've ever been hit."

"His group is larger than ours…" the Poliwhirl said, nervously.

"Pedro serves Marco and the Rainbow Crest Gang," Medusa said. "It's only a matter of time before he comes into contact with a group from the Shining Murder. I think we should move in a near-parallel line with his group. Eventually, it'll lead us into their path. If we don't bring a lot of attention to ourselves, we can hopefully move past them while they're distracted with a battle."

"Sounds good to me," Sassy said, cheerfully. She called their fighters to attention and they began a southeastward march into the forest.

Medusa panted as she leaned up against a tree. She was exhausted. Eighty Pokémon from the Rainbow Crest Gang had been sent to deal with her group a half-a-mile out from Pedro's forces. The ground was littered with their unconscious forms, each of them sporting rainbow colored paint somewhere on their bodies to show their loyalties. She and her fighters had managed to beat them back after a forty-five minute brawl, but they had forced her group closer to Pedro's group once they realized they were losing so their enforcer could finish the job. They could hear the sounds of fighting throughout the forest loud and clear now. Thousands of Pokémon were battling for dominance, and her team was barely a sliver of what her opponents were fielding.

She sighed and watched as pegasus ponies carried twenty of her fighters off to be treated outside the forest. They had fought well, but once they lost consciousness they were out of the match.

"They aren't taking us lightly," Sassy growled as she cradled a wounded foreleg. "Do you hear that? The flapping of wings and the stomping of stone feet. I think we're about to meet our first group from Boss Niccolo's gang."

"The Shining Murder Gang has always been run by Honchcrow, even if it wasn't always apparent," Ford said. He had cracks throughout his stone hide, as did his brother. Mario and Luigi were both kneeling, trying to catch their breath. "They don't play nice. Expect a lot of dirty tricks."

"And overwhelming force," Medusa said. "Pedro likely sent that last group, expecting them to be enough to deal with us. Rainbow Crest warriors tend to be a bit overconfident. Not so with the Shining Murder. They've always been the more efficient of the two, even if they often take longer to do their jobs."

The ground shook and the sound of trees breaking could be heard moving closer to them. It was slow and tortured.

"What is that?" Luigi said, nervously.

"I see a huge Snorlax waking through the forest, surrounded by Mightyena, Mandibuzz and a few Zweilous," Marie shouted from the treetop above Medusa's head. "They're coming from the south to intercept Pedro!"

"Croissant," Medusa said, her mind racing as she moved to look in the direction the Forretress was indicating.

"Roll's little sister?" Sassy said.

"Yeah, she's the only one I know of from the Shining Murder Gang who could push over trees just by walking."

Explosions tore through the air and multiple Earthquake attacks shook the ground violently. Smoke was rising in the distance where fire-type attacks were burning the forest down.

"They've paused!" a Ninjask yelled from the treetops. "Pedro is attacking Croissant's group with a preemptive strike! Both sides are getting a steady flow of reinforcements!"

"Are there any holes where we can make it through?" Medusa called back.

"Not unless you want to go three miles out of the way," the Ninjask replied. "By the time we get there, the hole will likely be gone. Fighters from both sides are filling the gaps fast."

Three other Ninjask reported similar situations in every direction that would eventually lead them to their goal. Medusa sighed in frustration.

"We'll have to fight our way through," Ford said.

"It's the only way," Decker replied. The sky was full of pegasus ponies pulling unconscious fighters out of the forest and carrying them off to be treated. The Wonderbolts had recruited from all over Equestria to get enough flyers to remove injured Pokémon from this battle. Even so, the task was enormous.

"It's starting to really heat up," Sassy said. "And our only way forward is through."

"Then we go through," Medusa said. She could feel determination building in her mind, and confidence building in her chest. She had joined this fight for a reason. She wouldn't back down now.

The ground shook directly beneath Medusa. She managed to roll out of the way just in time to avoid a Dugtrio burst out of the ground to strike her. Each member of the Dugtrio wore a black bowtie in solidarity with their group, the Shining Murder Gang. She sang a high-pitched note and struck the ground-type from the side with a Round attack. The water-type move poured over them, knocking them unconscious instantly. Twenty other Pokémon joined in her Round, and the clearing was rid of an equal number of enemy combatants in seconds. She couldn't keep up with who was from what side, all she knew was that her team wore the same purple, unadorned capes that she and Sassy wore.

"Keep moving!" Germaine yelled. The Forretress and her sister were busy laying down entry hazards as more enemy Pokémon tried to enter the clearing. Stealth Rocks and Poison Spikes hit the approaching attackers from all sides. That slowed them down enough for Medusa's team to keep moving forward.

Suddenly, a massive, twelve foot tall Slaking soared overhead, his hair spiked upward in a rainbow colored mohawk. He crashed down on top of a number of his allies. Two of Medusa's Scyther were caught in the crash, as well. All of them were down for the count.

"Croissant just threw Pedro!" Sassy yelled. "I can see her one hundred feet to the West! How in the world did she…?"

Suddenly the ground began to shake even more furiously than it had before. Pedro was punching the forest floor in anger as he rose to his feet. With a roar, he charged the Snorlax that had thrown him. He hit her with incredible speed for his size, and the two began to roll over trees and Pokémon as they took the fight to the ground.

"We've lost twelve more fighters," Medusa said as she looked at her battered group. The entry hazards Germaine and Marie had put down were keeping their opponents at bay for now, but the two gangs had intermingled on the edges of the clearing. They were fighting each other, their attacks hitting her fighters randomly and forcing them to fight back from a distance.

"What do we do, leader?" Kyuzo said. The Throh was panting heavily, but he continued to lift large chunks of dirt out of the ground to throw at the fighters on the outside. Some of their opponents were striking back from a distance now, and some were charging through the entry hazards, accepting the damage if it meant they could reach Medusa's group.

"What do we do, Medusa?" Sassy said. Croissant and Pedro were slamming each other into the ground, each one trying to get on top so they could punch the other more easily.

"Sassy," Medusa said, as a crazy idea entered her mind. "You and me need to take on Pedro and Croissant."

"Are you insane?" Sassy yelled above the din of battle. "Even the generals have a hard time with those two when they're mad!"

"And they're furious, right now," Medusa said, smiling. "They're going to destroy everything in their path, and nothing less than Lady Potpourri or Lady Sasha could put them down with force."

"So why do you want to fight them again?" Sassy said as she dodged the blade of an angry Bisharp. She hit him with a Brick Break attack and he went flying backward through the trees. A Bisharp wearing a bowtie caught him in midair and slammed him down hard, knocking him out of the fight. The Bisharp turned toward Sassy and made to charge, but an Alolan Dugtrio with rainbow streaks in their hair burst through the ground to hit him in the chest before ducking back underground.

"Our destination is north-west from here," Medusa said as she watched the Dugtrio retreat. "If we can direct Pedro and Croissant, we can have them carve a path of destruction to the center of the forest. Our fighters can move in relative safety through the wake of our battle. Most other Pokémon will be trying their best to avoid those two."

"That is pretty crazy…" Sassy said, hesitantly.

"We're dwindling fast though, and the forest is teaming with opponents. Is there a better option?"

"Probably not," Sassy said. A grim smile spread across her face. Medusa could hear the determination in her voice, and she shared it.

"Forward!" Medusa called. There would be no reward without risk. This plan had a high chance of failing, but if they could manage to pull it off, whoever remained would find themselves at their goal.

Together, Medusa and Sassy charged the grappling heavyweights while their fighters formed up behind them.


	16. Chapter 15

"Die!" Croissant yelled as she slammed Pedro into the ground, forming another crater. The forest floor was covered in them. The largest craters were formed in a haphazard line that was leading to the center of the forest.

"Hey!" Sassy yelled as she leapt out of the way. "This isn't a fight to the death, Croissant! Calm down a bit!"

"You calm down!" Croissant yelled as she charged the Granbul. Sassy met her charge, and for a second they were at a stalemate. Croissant's greater strength quickly won out though, and she Bulldozed over Sassy, slamming her into a tree. She screamed as it splintered behind her, but she managed to roll off of Croissant's charge. She dry-heaved as she lifted herself to her feet, only to stumble and fall.

Croissant paused, panting heavily to catch her breath. Pedro came up from behind, wrapped his arms around her tremendous girth, and suplexed her. Medusa followed up on his attack with a Sparkling Aria that hit the Snorlax square in the face. Croissant gurgled and flailed as she and Pedro fell sideways. She got to her feet slowly, and managed to dodge a Knock Off attack from Pedro. She countered him with a Power-Up Punch directly to his face; then turned to face Medusa as Pedro was knocked backwards.

"I'll crush you!" Croissant yelled as she began a slow advance toward the Primarina. Medusa looked at her fighters. There were thirty left. The sky was full of pegasus ponies carrying injured Pokémon off of the battlefield in a non-stop stream of movement.

Medusa panted as Croissant came within striking range. As the Snorlax leapt off the ground for a Heavy Slam, Medusa jumped and rolled backward. The Snorlax crashed into the ground with incredible force, shaking the nearby trees.

"Keep moving forward!" Medusa yelled to her troops. They were battered and beaten, but they obeyed.

"I'll crush you!" Croissant yelled again as she charged Medusa for another Heavy Slam. She was caught by the foot as she leapt off the ground, and Pedro slammed her down face first. She turned over with surprising speed, her massive stomach absorbing attacks from the Slaking. With that same speed she rose off the ground and hit Pedro with another Power-Up Punch. Pedro retaliated immediately and their fight continued.

An hour and a half into the battle royal and over half of the combatants were out. Those that remained had formed into tight groups, and were busy launching ambushes or fighting over territory. Most weren't interested in fighting Charles. They were too invested in fighting their rivals to worry about the goal of the contest.

"There's another battle up ahead," Germaine yelled from a nearby treetop. The last surviving Ninjask she had brought with her hovered nearby, his body dirty and bruised. "It's a big one!"

"Who is it?" Medusa yelled as she dodged a Hammer Arm from Pedro. She was exhausted, as was Sassy. They were both dragging, but so were their opponents. Yet anger, and a desire to win this fight kept them going.

"The Claw Sisters are fighting Kim and Nala near the main river!"

"That's not good," Sassy said. "Those two groups have been enemies since they were little. If anyone is likely to kill their opponents in this fight, it's those four."

"But a mile beyond the river is Charles," Medusa said.

"I'm amazed we made it this far," Sassy said.

Croissant fell to the ground just before she reached Medusa.

"Are you alright?" Medusa asked the heaving Snorlax. Croissant was holding herself up, her entire body bruised and covered in mud.

"Gotta… catch… breath…" she panted. Pedro saw the state of his opponent and gave a sigh of relief. He wasn't much better off.

"I think I'm done," the Slaking said as he fell backwards. He lay on the ground, staring up at the sky as the fighting continued around him.

"There's something else," Germaine said as she floated down to hover next to Medusa. Her steel shell was dented and broken in places.

"What is it?" Medusa asked as she took the moment of calm to rest.

"We can see a lot from the tops of the trees. There's two lines of conflict making their way to the stadium."

"What do you mean by 'lines of conflict'?"

"It looks like two straight lines moving through the forest. Fighting seems to center around them, and lots of Pokémon are being knocked out. They're coming from opposite sides of the forest."

"How long are these lines?" Sassy asked.

"At least two miles each."

"Marco and Niccolo are likely leading them. Potpourri and Sasha should be near the middle. How do you want us to handle this, Medusa?"

The Primarina paused in thought for a moment.

"I want to get those cats to stop fighting up ahead first. If they're not stopped, they really might kill each other. Let's get that done and go from there."

"I'll help," Croissant said as she pulled herself to her feet. "Pedro! Stand up and help us!"

"No," Pedro said, simply. "I'm slacking off."

"No you're not!" Croissant yelled as she grabbed him by the arm and hefted him up. "I refuse to let you!"

Pedro was limp in the Snorlax's arms. He stared at her without speaking.

"Helen and Joyce are two of the most hateful Liepard alive."

"Kim and Nala aren't any better."

"That's why we need to stop them from killing each other!"

"They won't do it. They're not that bad. I had lunch with the Claw Sisters just last week. Only left with a few scratches."

"You just don't wanna get up and do something about it," Sassy said. "Those four always drag others into their problems, and then things escalate. In a situation like this, how many Pokémon do you think would get pulled in by them? I've no doubt they turned bloodthirsty the moment they found each other."

"Fine…" Pedro sighed as he pulled himself to his feet. "I'll help."

It was worse than they had thought. Each side had roughly four hundred Pokémon fighting through the treetops and all across the forest floor. Pegasus ponies were having to fight off attacks from gang members just to take injured Pokémon out of the forest. In the center of the violence was a pair of Liepard fighting with a pair of Purugly. The Liepard had recently eaten their Petaya Berries. Having unburdened themselves, they were now much faster than the Purugly. Both sides were covered in wounds. Rainbow Dash, Sorin, Spitfire and Fleetfoot were in their midst trying to force the cat Pokémon apart.

"Just look at their eyes…" Sassy said, in horror.

"H-how can anyone be filled with so much hatred?" Medusa asked, in shock.

"Ok, maybe I was wrong," Pedro said, simply. "Let's pull 'em apart."

He and Croissant stomped forward and were immediately engulfed in flames by a group of Salandit on either side.

"I'm way too tired for this," Pedro said with a heavy sigh. He turned to leave, but Croissant grabbed him by the arm.

"Get back here," she said, though she sounded tired, too. She threw him into the middle of the Salandit on her left, forcing them to scatter. Pedro gave another heavy sigh, then he pulled himself to his feet and began chasing the smaller Pokémon around the clearing.

Medusa began a low, soft song as she and Sassy began moving through the battlefield. The surrounding forest quickly filled with bubbles that exploded, shocking the combatants and forcing them to pause for a moment. Mario, Luigi, Royce and Conor were leading the fighters left to them around the riverside to find a weak point. They would help the pegasus ponies break up the fighting, then help their leaders if they could. Germaine and her few remaining bug-types would do the same, but they were all battered and bruised. Medusa didn't expect any of them to make it to the end.

"It's a miracle we made it this far, isn't it?" Medusa said, wistfully. She wasn't upset. Quite the opposite. She was immensely proud of herself and those that had chosen to follow her. They had all fought valiantly, and without hesitation. She was humbled that they had allowed her to lead them this far.

"It really is," Sassy said with a bright smile.

They dove into the fight headfirst. Medusa shot forward with an Aqua Jet to grab hold of one of the Purugly just as she was about to slash the throat of the Liepard beneath her. Spitfire was lying on the ground nearby. She had taken a Return attack to the chest as she had tried to stop the Purugly's advance. Sorin stood over her protectively, fighting off a group of Whirlipede with hoof and wing as Spitfire caught her breath. Rainbow Dash and Fleetfoot were busy helping Sassy.

"Nala, you have to stop this!" Medusa yelled at the Purugly in her grasp.

"Get off of me, Medusa!" Nala yelled. She bit Medusa's shoulder hard. The Primarina yelled in pain and let go of her. Nala jumped to her feet and ran forward, back toward her previous target, only to slip and fall. Joan walked up to Nala carefully, and offered a flipper to help her up. "You look like you're poisoned. Stop this fighting and let the ponies carry you to one of the medical tents."

"I'd get away from her if I were you, champion," Joyce said. The Liepard had gotten to her feet now. Though she was unsteady, she had a cruel, confident look on her face that made Medusa's blood run cold. Nala tried to rise, but she no longer had the strength to.

"You're going to stop this, now," Medusa said as she placed herself between the approaching Liepard and the injured Purugly. Nala was still trying to get to her feet, but she could barely lift her head up, much less stand.

"I'll stop when she's dead," Joyce said. She bared her fangs for a Snarl attack, but Medusa had predicted it. With her Aqua Jet attack, she was on top of the Liepard before the Snarl could leave her mouth. Medusa collided with Joyce at high speed, sending both of them toppling several feet across the jungle floor. Medusa's exhaustion had gotten the best of her at the last moment and she had lost control of her momentum. She looked over at Joyce to see her lying on the ground, unconscious.

"Good job," Sassy said as she limped over to Medusa. Rainbow Dash was walking next to her. Spitfire had recovered and was busy organizing her ponies as Medusa's team chased the other Pokémon out of the clearing.

"Did you get the other two to stop?"

"Yeah," Sassy panted. Medusa sighed in relief and lay down. "With the Wonderbolt's help, we got 'em down. They're being carried out now."

"You guys have come a long way," Rainbow Dash said. "I'm impressed! You might wanna get medical attention too, though."

"I… I really wanna take you up on that," Sassy replied as she plopped down on the ground next to Medusa.

"I still want to fight Charles," Medusa said, softly. She was exhausted, bruised and covered in dirt. She really wanted a good bath and some sleep, but not as much as she wanted to reach her goal.

"Why?" Rainbow Dash said. "Don't get me wrong. I understand just how great it is to win something, but you've come a lot further than you really had any right to under normal circumstances. That must mean there's something really important driving you. If you don't mind me asking, what is it?"

"I just…" Medusa started. Mario saved her from answering though.

"Well, we've only got six of us left, but we're here," the Poliwrath said as he walked up to join the conversation. The remainder of Medusa's forces walked up with him. They all walked slowly and carefully, as if it hurt to move. "With the pony's help, we're managing to clear out a lot of the fighters. They've either gone off to join their friends elsewhere, or they're being carried off for medical treatment."

"Thank you all for coming this far with me," Medusa said, gratefully.

"It's our honor, champion," Mario said with a bow. The other Pokémon cheered, even as they stumbled around on unsteady legs.

"I'd like to push forward," Medusa said as she forced herself up off the ground. "I won't think less of any of you for not following me."

"We've… come this far," Royce said, between jagged, wheezing breaths. The Toxicroak erupted into a coughing fit, and his cousin had to hit him on the back to help him stabilize.

"We'll keep going," Conor added, though he was looking at Royce with some concern.

"I'll tag along, too," Rainbow Dash said.

"Are you sure?" Medusa asked.

"You look like you could use the help. Sasha and Potpourri won't mind it, will they?"

"I doubt it."

"Then count me in!"

"I…" Medusa said. She looked around at her small group and felt pride and gratitude fill her heart once more. "Thank you."


	17. Chapter 16

"We're all ready, prince," Flash Magnus said. "The way is clear."

They stood on a platform high above the clouds of their stolen planet. All around them, the undead shades of Pokémon were fighting Terrorcons as they approached the giant astral body of Unicron sitting on his throne. Soon the enemy would break through the first lines, and the second would be needed to pick up the slack as the shades reformed. For as endless as the Forces of Destruction were, the enemy could easily match their numbers.

"Our goal is the hand," Somnambula said, an enchanted bronze spear resting under her left wing. "I can see the string of fate by which the Transformer god holds our world. He would eat us and everything that is ours. He thinks us easy prey, but we will prove him wrong."

"Why is he doing this, though?" Prince Shining Armor said. "What is driving this 'Unicron' into attacking other realities? They pose no threat to him."

"For some dictators, the thrill of attacking others is enough," Queen Novo said. She was in her Hippogriff form, her regal white wings spread out to her sides. She had an aura of command about her similar to the one Luna and Celestia possessed. "The Storm King took pleasure in thinking he was the superior being, and proving it to all those who he saw as lesser. Perhaps Unicron is guided by the same reasoning."

"Greetings friends," Princess Luna said as she landed next to the group, riding atop the dragon, Torch. She climbed down and thanked the former Dragon Lord for the ride. The motherbox Starlight Glimmer and Starswirl had altered was attached to her saddlebags. Though they couldn't acquire the spatial disruptor from Megatron, Starswirl had assured them that his motherbox would accomplish their task well enough with help from Discord and the Creation Trio.

"Are you certain Skystar will be alright?" Queen Novo said, hesitantly.

"She is protected by some of the most powerful Pokémon allies we have," Princess Luna said. "Prince Rutherford is leading the second wave alongside Chompy, Krush and Rose. They will reinforce our landing site in preparation for the main force. I will be at Skystar's side, leading the third wave alongside Shining Armor. We will take good care of your daughter."

"Then I will command of our soldiers here alongside Celestia. Good luck, Luna. Good luck to all of you. Come home safely."

With that, the group climbed atop Torch's back and flew into the clouds.

Master Bruce was quite large for a Feraligatr. He stood roughly fourteen feet on his hind legs. He was almost as large as most of the normal sized Terrorcons. He was grateful for that fact as he battled through the waters of this dead world at Unicron's right hand.

To his right swam Bartholomew, a powerful Mega Swampert and the current leader of the water-types. Bruce couldn't help but feel a bit protective of the boy. He was young, a bit brash and determined to fulfill his duty. He was falling in love with Medusa, the wife of his late friend, but he would never admit to it. Bruce had spoken to Ceto, and they had both agreed that Medusa might share his feelings. Her late husband's memory was the primary force keeping them apart. Though Odysseus would have wanted Medusa to find happiness, it was difficult.

Ceto had set the two up, going so far as to encourage Medusa's youngest son to join Bartholomew on a patrol of an Aether Foundation cruise ship they were riding. She had known that if Bartholomew became close with the children, Medusa would follow close behind. It had worked. Medusa and Bartholomew had gotten over some of their early issues and were growing quite fond of one another. Bruce smiled as he considered the future his protégé and Medusa could have together, if they survived this insane mission.

"I see it, lords," one of the Gyarados said, his voice a low, brutal rumble above the sound of the rainfall. Bruce and Bartholomew were surrounded on all sides by their Furies; an elite group of several hundred Gyarados and Milotic. Intermingled in their group were two thousand water-types, and on either side of them, leading the way, were the water-type titans. "It's a massive landmass, dark and disturbing."

"Mako and Maui report that a facility lies underneath it," Bartholomew said. "It's even larger than the landmass. Which one do we attack?"

"Both," Bruce replied. "Lead the assault underwater alongside Mako and Maui. I'll take Gyara and his son on land to secure a site for the others. Call in when you've made it into the compound."

"Understood, master," Lord Bartholomew said. He gave a loud call and dived underwater, half of the furies following behind as he swam for the submerged base. Bruce could already feel the waves pick up as Bartholomew's group clashed with the Terrorcon sentries that had been following them in the deep.

"Master Bruce," a stout Clawitzer said. "The seapony scouts have reported back. The landmass up ahead is drenched in water. There are a great many ponds, rivers, and lakes all across it, so much so that the seaponies feel confident advancing with us."

"Good," Master Bruce said. "Princess Skystar was terribly insistent on coming. I'm glad she'll be fighting in a comfortable environment."

Bruce went quite as he picked up speed, forcing his soldiers to move faster to keep up with him. In twenty minutes they were making their way up the shore, destroying the Terrorcon sentinels they found there to secure a landing point.

Ultimately, their plan couldn't have succeeded without the help of the Creation Trio. Palkia, Dialga and Giratina had come to face off against the two powerful gods. Together, they assumed massive astral forms similar to the ones Unicron and Darkseid had assumed, and they took their places around the planet the gods were fighting over. The Throne of Unicron was a massive sphere of space-time, warped by the Chaos-Bringer to surround his home from the preying eyes of his brother. The great astral form of Unicron frowned as the Pokémon gods took their places at his side. When the astral form of Primus took his place, Unicron sneered.

"So you finally come, do you, brother?" Unicron said, mockingly. He sat atop a large, dead star. His left hand rested atop a crumbling world covered in deserts. His right hand rested atop a world full of oceans. Each planet was crawling with Terrorcons.

"I am here to put a stop to your madness," Primus responded.

"And these others?"

"We are here to aid our friends, who you would devour," Palkia said.

"Hmm," Darkseid said, as he rubbed his chin in thought. He spared no glance for the new arrivals. His gaze was fixed on the countless battles being waged on the planet below. "I see your advance and raise you a counterattack."

A portion of the planet between them lit up with explosions as more parademons poured through portals above one of Unicron's armies. Giant, rabid dogs the size of Transformer combiners marched forward into the midst of Unicron's forces. They tore through hordes of Terrorcons, until ships carrying massive Rust Giant warriors landed among them to hack away at the beasts with swords and axes.

"It is not good enough," Unicron replied, as a smile curled his mouth.

"I would disagree," Darkseid responded. "There are a great many pieces at play now. No longer is it just you and me. I hope you haven't failed to take that into account."

"I have calculated their chances of success," the robot god replied. He looked above the planet to the place where Oa had come into orbit. Lanterns of all colors were now pouring onto the battlefield, alongside ships full of alien soldiers and the heroes of earth. Cybertronian areialbots were punching holes in both armies to secure landing sites for their troop transport ships. "Their efforts, though admirable, will prove insufficient."

"And the other group that now lands on your right hand?"

"Insuficent," Unicron replied, simply.

"Oh?" Dialga said as he watched his army exit the ships the Cybertronians had given them. They were entering the ocean planet, landing on its lone continent to force their way forward. "You don't see the threat?"

"Their threat level is insignificant. The game is mine, as was inevitable."

"We'll see," Darkseid replied, a smile curling his lips knowingly. "There are still many moves to make."


	18. Chapter 17

Discord watched the chaos and sighed. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't funny. As such, it wasn't his cup of tea. He flew through the fighting slowly, taking in the sites and sounds. A parademon appeared in front of him, its power axe crackling with energy. It swung at his head with all its might, but with a single sneer from Discord its axe was suddenly made of jell-o. Discord laughed at the parademon's face as the axe bounced off his neck. More parademons charged him, all of them screaming at the tops of their lungs. With a wave of his claw they were all the size of ants. He left them like that as he continued to fly through the fighting.

Everywhere he went, chaos followed. Giant robots turned into giant water balloons filled with apple juice. Control towers for the parademons turned into thousands of flying violins that played different songs at the same time. Entire regiments of soldiers were reformed into dancing, metal wombats. Eventually, they began avoiding him rather than trying to kill him. That did nothing to discourage him from terrorizing them, though.

High above the skies of the nameless battle world, other planets orbited. The Cybertronians had brought a number of their colonies, which had dispatched thousands of ships into the fight. Both Unicron and Darkseid were responding with waves of their own craft. Discord snapped his claws and turned twelve hundred of them into flying hunks of swiss cheese that were quickly melted by their own thrusters, but there were many more on their way. He could keep that up for a while, but he knew that their numbers truly were endless and he had another goal in mind. He teleported out of his current location and continued his search.

Discord appeared on the top of a small, barren hill. There were craters all around, dug out from days of constant shelling. Though this area had been a battlefield many times in the past, it was strangely peaceful now. Scrap metal and dead parademons covered the ground, but there was no fighting to be seen anywhere. He prepared to teleport off once more, and then paused as a sword blade pressed against his throat.

"I found you," said a deep voice filled with fire and hatred. It was a man dressed in bronze greek armor, with a blood red cape. "You're head will look good on my trophy rack, if the things I've heard about you are true. Father will be proud."

"Oh, you don't want my head," Discord said as he suddenly appeared behind the armor-clad man. The warrior turned in an instant, swinging his sword to cut through Discord, but the Draconequus was already behind him yet again. "I'm sure if I were on your trophy rack all I'd do is make faces at you, until I got board and left, that is."

"I am Deimos, son of Ares! God of Terror! You dare mock me?"

"It's not so much a dare. I just feel like it. Now, where is your father at?"

"He fights in Hell on behalf of its ruler, beating back the robotic creatures that threaten it. He told my brother, Phobos, and I that he would restore our honor if we fought for him here. He told us the Princess Diana would be here, too."

"And what importance does she have?"

"She stole our honor. We would take her head."

"Why are you so obsessed with heads?"

"Skulls make good trophies."

"Hmmm," Discord said as he considered the minor god. "Well, I've got other things to do. You wouldn't know where I could find that rogue army of deserters, would you?"

"They are to the south, hiding. They remain in a defensive position, marching on us only when we get too close. Their robots play music through their speakers that enchants all who hear it, just like the siren song."

"Siren song, eh?"

Discord smiled. He turned to face the south, his back now to the son of Ares. Deimos charged forward at incredible speed to slice through Discord, but his target turned himself into mist just as the sword approached his shoulder.

"Thank you for the information," Discord said as he vanished. "Here. A gift."

Twenty laughing, cardboard cutout pony skulls appeared tied to Deimos' beard. He tried to remove them, but his hands simply passed through them. He yelled in rage, and their laughter rose as well, filling the dark skies above.

Mako and Maui were massive schools of Wishiwashi. Each of them stretched for miles. They were incredibly powerful, and they were currently focusing that power on the force field protecting the underwater compound. After two minutes of consecutive Hydro Pump attacks, the shield finally fell.

"Forward!" Bartholomew yelled as he swam through the water. Swarms of minicons met his troops as they advanced. They were small, humanoid robots with giant mouths filled with razor sharp steel teeth. They fired explosive blasts from canons on their rusted, rotted arms. There were millions of them, but they weren't enough. Hyper Beam attacks mingled with Hydro Pump attacks in waves. Thousands of the creatures died in each wave, their bodies exploding in the water as the furies vented their rage.

More robots came, these ones far larger and more powerful. They were red, snake-like, and carried large axes. Mako and Maui punched a hole in their advance, wiping out hundreds of the sentinels as if they were nothing. Bartholomew led his troops through the gap as another wave approached. Mako and Maui broke apart, separating into thousands of smaller, normal sized school forms.

The compound itself was a giant glass dome that dwarfed the large island above it. A strange light emanated from its center, coming from an ethereal fire held in a glass container. It burned brightly, visible even at this great distance, its embers passing through the glass dome and trailing off through the water. Those embers rose out of the water and into the atmosphere, making a thread that was visible from space. Micronus had told them that this was where Unicron held his ties to Equestria's universe.

Bartholomew swam forward, dodging laser blasts and explosive rounds as his soldiers clashed with the enemy until he reached the glass dome. He pulled his arm back and slammed the dome hard with a full force Hammer Arm. The glass cracked, but didn't break. His second Hammer Arm fixed that and he rode the wave of gushing water to the ground floor of the compound. He fell to the floor, using Earthquake as he landed to send the whole compound off-balance. The more rusted robots in his vicinity collapsed, their servos unable to cope with the sudden, violent shaking of the earth. Above him, his furies were taking advantage of the compromised glass to enlarge its crack. Soon, the entire compound was filling with water and the terrocon protectors were switching into aquatic modes to cope.

"Sir," a Wishiwashi School Form said, his voice a booming collection of his component Pokémon. "Our psychic circle reports that the target is being transported!"

Bartholomew could see the vision, too. Dorris' psychic-types were playing it in his mind's eye at that very moment. He saw a platform hovering in the center of the facility. On top of the platform was the glass cage the fire was held in. Steel walls closed around the cage, sealing off the fire as the anti-gravity platform floated up and out of a hole in the ceiling. The embers trailed off and vanished as the fire was hidden from view.

"It's going to end up on land," Bartholomew said. "Right where we want it. Let's keep the enemy busy down here. This is where they build new robots, and repair those that are broken. They're going to try and retake this ground. We're going to make them suffer for it. When we're through down here, we'll join our friends on the surface. Hopefully they'll have the target by then."

"Then we go home," a Gyarados said, as wires and gears fell from his mouth. He had just taken a bite out of a large terrorcon. It twitched and flailed on the ground next to him. His face was already burned by laser fire, but he seemed not to care.

"Yes," Bartholomew said, with a smile. "Then we go home."

Clark was calling on every last ounce of his strength, but he knew it wouldn't be enough. Still, he and Diana were the only ones able to trade blows with these titanic gods. Unicron's fist slammed into Clark and he felt his ribs break. He hadn't been hurt like this in ages. Still, he had to fight.

He dodged the next punch and flew in close. He beat at the giant's chest, knocking him back a step with every blow. The robot god's avatar was easily forty feet tall. Darkseid's avatar was his equal in size. Clark could see him from across the canyon. Diana was holding him off at the moment, but her shield was dented and the arm holding it was broken. They just had to hold out a little bit longer, until their soldiers had finished evacuating the battlefield.

Below him was a deep canyon, the site of a battle that was still raging. Lanterns were fighting alongside alien races that had rallied to their call. While most of those races had taken hold of Earth's solar system to build a stronghold against the armies of Unicron, these ones had been sent to fight on behalf of the Guardians of the Universe. There had been over eight hundred thousand of them on this battlefield when they had arrived. They were the best soldiers their kinds had to offer, armed with some of the best technology in the universe. They manned ships and vehicles, or marched with weapon in hand. They were the noble few who had joined in this impossibly dangerous mission.

Now they were in retreat. A third of their number lay dead on the ground. Victory could still be had, but they must regroup. To accomplish that, the two gods they had come to kill must be held at bay, which is exactly what Clark and Diana were desperately trying to do.

"Batman to Superman," Bruce said through the comms device in Clark's ear. "We've got reinforcements coming. Two of the Transformers leaders will be there to give you and Wonder Woman a break while their soldiers give us some cover."

"That's insane," Clark said. He could already see the Cybertronian fighter jets soaring overhead, dropping their payloads on the enemy. "Fighting these two… it's hard enough for us…"

"Don't underestimate our new friends. They seemed confident they could do it long enough for us fall back. We need to take them at their word, and trust them."

"I'm not sure…" Clark said. The words stopped in his throat as Unicron caught him mid-air and slammed him into the ground. He could feel the blood pouring out of a gash in the back of his head. His vision was blurring. For a moment, Unicron was a weight on top of him that he couldn't lift. Then suddenly he was gone.

Clark looked up to see the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime, forcing the robot god back. The avatar was head and shoulders taller than the prime, but Optimus was fighting for all he was worth.

"Go!" Optimus yelled. "You need to go!"

"No!" Clark said as he rose to his feet. His legs wanted to give out, but he focused and forced himself to stand. "We can beat him together!"

"No we can't," Optimus said, gravely. A brutal sword had materialized in Unicron's hands. Optimus was holding his own blade, almost as long as he was tall. "I can hold him off. The star saber and the matrix of leadership empower me, but I cannot beat him. I can only buy you time. Galvetron's army comes to flank yours. If he succeeds you will be crushed, and Darkseid will be pushed back once again. Go, my friend. We will ensure your escape and meet you in time."

Clark looked across the canyon where Diana sat on the ground, cradling her broken arm. The warlord named Megatron was fighting tooth and nail against the Avatar of Darkseid. There was malice in the Decepticon's movements, a brutality that seemed to amuse Darkseid. Though the Lord of Apokolips was going for the kill, Megatron's massive axe was managing to keep the tyrant god at bay.

"Your soldiers are beaten and weary," Optimus said. Unicron had paused in his assault, though Clark wasn't sure why. Clark looked down at his troops. It was a three-way fight down in the canyon. The Guardians had planned this assault, hoping to make the canyon into a death trap for their enemies. That hadn't gone well. The armies of Darkseid and Unicron were pushing the army of Oa back, even as they killed each other.

"Alright," Clark said after a moment. "We'll go. Make sure you find us as soon as you can, friend."

Optimus nodded his head. Diana was already flying down into the canyon to call the retreat. Atrocitus wouldn't be happy about that, but it was necessary. Clark took to the sky.

"You should have learned, by now," Unicron said as Superman made to join his friends. "Your actions are insufficient. Your fate is death. Not even my brother, nor any of the powers of your reality, can stop it."

"We'll see," Superman said. "We'll see."


	19. Chapter 18

"Here we are," Master Saitori said. He took a deep breath and sighed happily. "I've always had a soft spot for this region. It's so serene. So beautiful and full of mystery."

"And where would we be?" Starswirl asked. He looked around, taking in the river and the city to the south. He had just teleported their group here based off of Saitori's directions, but this entire world was quite unfamiliar. "That would be Cerulean City down there, then?"

"It would be," Master Saitori said, brightly. He motioned to the cave behind them. "This, my friends, is Cerulean Cave! It is full of the most powerful wild Pokémon in this region. Fortunately, they know me here. My students occasionally relocate here based off of my recommendations."

"I see. This is where we'll meet our new friend?"

"Indeed."

"Then lead the way, Saitori," Starswirl said. The old Oranguru nodded as he made his way into the cave.

"The rocks in here a interesting," Maud said as she followed behind Starswirl and Saitori. "Thanks for inviting Mudbrier and I."

"I think I see some remarkable foliage," Mudbrier said. He was staring in fascination at a series of thick, flower-covered roots hanging from the ceiling. "It's pulsating?"

"Someone has set down roots on the floor above," Master Saitori said. "A number of grass-types from God's Breath moved here long ago, to maintain our connection to this cave. It's important to have ties to places with strong Pokémon. That gives us a good pool to draw from when we're scouting for recruits or mates. Many Pokémon in our city have family in Mt. Silver, for instance."

The group walked through the cave system, talking about various lighthearted subjects. Pinkie Pie had brought a bag full of hundreds of lollipops, which she happily shared with all the Pokémon they met along the way.

"It would have been nice if Starlight had come," Pinkie Pie said. "She would have loved the dark, intense atmosphere here."

"That 'intense' atmosphere is a result of the constant battles that take place here," Master Saitori said. "There are many territorial Pokémon here, and it's quite common for them to fight one another."

The ground suddenly rumbled. The group paused and looked up.

"It's coming from the next floor," Starswirl said. The ground shook again and he stumbled. "I take it there's a battle taking place?"

"Yes," Saitori replied with a smile. He was leaning on his walking stick to maintain his balance. "And I think it's the person we want to see."

"Yay!" Pinkie Pie shouted excitedly. "Let's go make our new friend!"

They arrived at the top floor with some minor hesitation. As they approached, the fighting increased in ferocity, shaking the entire cave system.

"I wonder what the humans in the nearby city think of this?" Mudbrier said. He was watching the ceiling light up alongside the others, but his gaze would still wander to the growing, thorn-covered foliage that was inching its way toward them.

"They aren't allowed to enter," Master Saitori said. "Only trainers who have truly mastered their trade can enter this cave. Not even Team Rainbow Rocket, the elite of Giovanni's henchmen, would dare enter this cave without good reason. The inhabitants are too plentiful, too powerful, and too aggressive toward humans."

"I see."

"The colors of their attacks are quite marvelous," Rarity said, as she watched a Flamethrower attack clash with a Shadow Ball. The two exploded, lighting up the ceiling once more in a myriad of bright hues. "Yet, this is a bit much. Those three are really going at it."

"They will wear themselves out shortly," Master Saitori responded. "Let us wait patiently for them to tire."

The group agreed, and they all took a seat to watch the two Charizard fighting the Mega Mewtwo Y. The Mewtwo was holding off both Charizard, though just barely. Two Venusaur sat next to two Blastoise nearby. They were all battle worn, but they seemed satisfied.

"I sent these six ahead of us," Master Saitori said, proudly. "I've trained them all. They will be champions one day, and possibly members of the council if needed. I wanted them to talk with our new friend there, to show her that we mean no harm and announce our coming. She is very shy, you see. It turned into a battle, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. For those with a warrior's heart, this is just another way of talking."

"Really?" Pinkie Pie said. "I thought fighting was just another way of hurting people."

"That is true," the Mewtwo said as her opponents collapsed. They were still wide-awake, but were clearly too worn out to fight any longer. "However, it is why your opponent fights that is important. Knowing why they would risk their health, why they would risk their lives, gives insight into what is important to them. Fortunately, Pokémon battles are intentionally non-lethal in all appropriate cases."

"And what about the non-appropriate cases?" Mudbrier asked. The Mewtwo's eyes narrowed.

"Is that what you came here to talk about? Is that why you sent these warriors to befriend me?"

"I don't know. Technically, we were only told this would be a fun little outing."

"Those were Pinkie Pie's words," Maud said.

"They sure were!" Pinkie Pie said, happily. "We're gonna have a picnic! I made pecan pie."

"Master Saitori," the Mewtwo said, her eyes still narrowed and burning with suspicion. "I know you took in that genocidal Mewtwo who wanted to free me. You should know that I have never shared his views on humanity. Not even when it comes to our creators."

"Charles is still convinced that he was right to try and stop the humans," Master Saitori said. He took the other Pokémon's anger calmly. "He believes that his convictions were righteous, but he no longer sees his actions as such. He is confused, but he doesn't want to kill humanity. He would stop Team Rocket, though."

"Team Rocket…" the Mewtwo said, mulling over that name. Her mouth curled as if in reaction to a terrible taste. "What do you want from me, old Oranguru?"

"I would use Team Rocket as a buffer against a great threat to our pony friends and their world. You know their facility inside and out. You know all of their recent activities, and I'm sure that, now you're free, you can help us manipulate them to do as we want."

"Not until you try my pie!" Pinkie Pie said. She had already cut a piece, and was offering it to the Mewtwo on a paper plate. "By the way, what's you're name? I'm Pinkie Pie and you can call me your new friend… if you want."

"I'm… I'm Victoria," the Mewtwo said as she released her Mega Y form and took the pie. They were soon gathered round in a circle, eating their food and enjoying a festive conversation.

"You're being remarkably accepting," Mudbrier said as he chewed through a carrot. "Honestly, I expected you to not want our company."

"I'm tired from three consecutive battles," Victoria said. "And I read your minds as you entered the cave. I know that your intentions are good."

"Then you must know why we're here," Starswirl said.

"No need to get to business so fast, Starswirl," Rarity said. "Can't we enjoy ourselves a moment?"

"Equestria is in danger. I would enjoy it to be safe once again."

"But these cupcakes Pinkie Pie made are delicious," Rarity responded as she levitated one onto Starswirl's paper plate. "Here. Have one."

Starswirl looked at the cupcake with a bit of frustration before eating it.

"It is very good," he said as he washed it down with a glass of milk. "But it doesn't change my mind. We need access to Team Rocket's hideout."

"You want to use them and their allies against these 'Dark Knights' from… a nightmare multiverse?" Victoria said. She looked a bit confused as she spoke the sentence. "Your problems are rather… complicated."

"They sure are!" Pinkie Pie said. "I can barely keep up. Every time I think all the ponies and Pokémon fighting a bunch of evil gods in a bizarre dead universe full of demons and giant, undead robots… I get kinda lightheaded. The first time I said that sentence I had to stop myself and say 'What the heck did I just say'."

"I would appreciate it if you didn't read our minds so eagerly," Starswirl said, as he gave a sideways glance at Pinkie Pie. He cast a spell on his group and Victoria looked even more confused as her mind was cutoff from the others. "It may be expedient at present, but it is still an invasion of privacy."

"Forgive me," Victoria said, blushing in embarrassment at the rebuke. "I'm not used to being so free with my powers. I let myself go a bit overboard."

The six Pokémon she had just fought were now being treated to food and medicine by the ponies. They grinned happily as they ate. The Charizard looked at Victoria and nodded in respect. Victoria blushed again, unused to any form of respect other than fear.

"Show a little decorum, girl," Starswirl responded, snapping the Mewtwo's attention back to the conversation. "Now that you're free, common courtesy is a lesson you'll want to learn fast."

"What of our offer, though," Master Saitori said as he put a bandage on one of the Venusaur's legs. "Will you help us manipulate Team Rocket?"

"Judging from your thoughts and memories, this is a very dangerous task you want to them to undertake," Victoria said, a bit more sheepishly than before. "I'm sorry I read your minds without your permission."

"It's quite alright, dear," Rarity said. She pulled a beautiful, white coat from her saddlebags and draped it around Victoria's shoulders. "It helped us get closer to you without having to chase you all over creation."

"As for Team Rocket, you can count this as a penance for them," Master Saitori said. "They can reclaim some of their humanity by helping us."

"It's not just Team Rocket anymore, though," Victoria said. "It's Team Rainbow Rocket. The humans here are under the impression that the criminal groups from other regions have united under Giovanni's banner. They aren't wrong, but it's more complicated than that. The grunts are from this world. The people working with him are the leaders of teams from alternate realities where they were victorious. They have many legendary Pokémon fighting for them, and even some Ultra Beasts. They've been traveling through ultra wormholes to strengthen their forces and it's worked. Then… there's the cloning program…"

"Are you the only Mewtwo they've created?"

"Yes, but they've cloned other legendary Pokémon and Ultra Beasts. They are all similar to the Zygarde at the facility I was sent to protect before I was freed. They are mindless abominations powered through a psychic link to the Pokémon they were cloned from. The problem is, unlike Zygarde, the Pokémon that gave up their DNA for cloning did so willingly as partners of the evil team leaders Giovanni has recruited. We can't stop them by simply freeing the Pokémon from some device."

"If they have such power at their disposal, I'd think they stand a much better chance at stopping our enemies," Starswirl said as he took his third cupcake from the silver plate Pinkie Pie had brought. "Perhaps this will work, after all."

"If the Dark Knights free Arceus, it's all over," Master Saitori said. "We have protections in place, but I'd rather our foes not get that far. It's better to bog them down on the outskirts of the throne, rather than letting them approach the rainbow cocoon where the god sleeps."

Victoria sat in silence for a moment as she considered the circumstances.

"Alright," she said, though there was still a bit of hesitation in her voice. "I don't like it, but I'll help you."

"I call the shots," Lex Luthor said before the nightmare Batmen kneeling before him. They were beaten and bruised.

"Considering your armor is made of a combination of nth metal and 10th metal, I'd say you certainly do," Devastator said. He was calm, but his gravely voice was full of malice and resentment. "You could kill Superman with armor like that. Why don't you?"

"Who's to say I wasn't planning to? For now, this armor serves my purposes here. I have no intention of letting you use Arceus to free Barbados. I have no intention of giving you anything more than what we agreed on."

"Whatever you say, Lexy," the Batman Who Laughs said. His smile was still wide and he was still chuckling a bit despite the fact that he had been beaten harder than any of his counterparts. "I hope you're not underestimating our enemies like you've done in the past. Like you said, this is the first time you've brought that armor out of containment, and it's not like you saw their capabilities in full during your time in ponyland."

Lex glared at the wounded Batman angrily. He kneeled down to look him in the eyes.

"Others have failed me up until now. We would have had them in Gotham if not for Waller's insistence on co-leadership. Without her interference in the negotiation process I would have cowed the world's leaders into obedience. Those airships would have fought together, rather than turning their guns on each other the moment something went wrong. She had connections, though. I couldn't force her out."

"Sounds like failure on your part, then. I hope you don't fail here. I'd hate to be blamed for it like poor Amanda Waller."

Lex stood up slowly. Then he kicked the Batman Who Laughs hard in the stomach.

"Hahhh…" the Batman wheezed as he curled into a ball and clutched his stomach.

"You will obey. We will succeed. Just be happy you're getting anything at all."


	20. Chapter 19

"I can't believe what I'm about to do," Victoria said, her soft voice filled with disbelief. She was staring at a remote in Master Saitori's hands as she and her new friends stood on a hilltop four miles from Team Rocket's castle. It loomed tall and imposing in the distance. It was eerily quite here. All the wild Pokémon had fled or been captured when the humans had set up their base of operations. The only sounds were those made by the small group. "I've never been able to touch the minds of Team Rocket or their allies without permission. They always wear devices meant to block my telepathy whenever they're near. Can this little creation of yours really prevent that? How did you make such a thing?"

"A human from another world made a similar device to use against us," Master Saitori said. "We captured him, probed his mind a bit, and learned how it worked. Then, combining that knowledge with the devices we took from Team Rocket when you were freed, we developed countermeasures against it. This radio signal should shut down the protections around Team Rocket. You can finally access Giovanni's mind."

"Why did you have to go to this strange universe filled with violence?" Victoria asked as she led the group through the thick trees of Viridian Forest. "Why would you choose someplace new at all? Wouldn't it be more logical to go somewhere you've been before? What of that multiverse where Battleworld was?"

"Well, you see darling…" Rarity began. "Arceus wanted us to go somewhere new because that was part of the question originally asked by… whoever it was that ruled Battleworld. Honestly, I forgot who the Slowking said we fought there. I won't forget the faces of those monsters, though. A lot of ponies kept their heads as trophies after fighting them off."

"We did go to the multiverse where Battleworld was," Pinkie Pie said. "We tried to make a deal with Arceus to let us explore that place for the same reasons you brought up, but it didn't go well."

"What do you mean?" Victoria asked.

"For one, Battleworld wasn't there anymore. It was just a lot of alternate universes like you'd expect to see, but none of them were any good. There seemed to be a lot of… confusion."

"Confusion?" Rarity said as she raised a skeptical eyebrow. "It was as if the whole place was made by angry, spoiled children. It was as if the mean fillies from school got the chance to recreate it just to bother people. The only confusing thing about it is why we didn't see the signs of decline earlier."

"Was there nowhere else to go?" Victoria asked.

"There was one other place we looked at, but it was literally ruled by children. Two small, blue children who were running a tournament where the losers had their universe erased along with everyone in it. We decided that wasn't the best choice, either."

"It would have been a lot more fun than the Battleworld multiverse, that's for sure!" Pinkie Pie said, angrily. "That place was nothing like I remembered it from the Slowking's lectures!"

"Perhaps it was never as good as your people originally thought it was," Victoria said. "Maybe the Slowking only got a glimpse of what little of interest was there and developed a bias for it, thus blinding themselves to all the bad."

"That is the conclusion we came to, as well," Master Saitori said with a heavy sigh. "Such a shame, but we can't change it. We ultimately decided Arceus would hate that place, so we left it. The place we found is better, but it shows similar signs of decline. That's not important now. We need to focus on Team Rocket."

"Agreed," Starswirl said. "Let's begin."

He lit his horn with magic and cast a simple spell directed at a pair of grunts on patrol down the dirt road beneath them. The grunts paused for a moment, their faces filled with confusion, before they began walking again as if nothing had happened.

"All we have to do is follow them inside," Starswirl said, as he cast another spell. The group immediately turned invisible, though they were still able to see one another.

"They have ways of detecting us, even if they can't see us," Victoria said.

"Then you had better be on your guard," Starswirl said as he walked down the hillside to follow the grunts. "It's your job to make sure we get in and out without being noticed. I'm having those two leave the door open long enough for us to enter after them. I would need to give them specific instructions if I want to make them turn off the castle's defenses. I can't quite do that if I don't know what those defenses are."

"I… will take control of their minds once we're inside," Victoria said as she followed her group.

"Then this should be a peace of cake."

They followed the grunts into the castle silently. The sounds of their footsteps were muffled thanks to Starswirl's spell. Master Saitori pushed the button on his device, turning off Team Rocket's protection from Victoria's psychic powers. They hid in an empty room as the Mewtwo meditated. She led the grunts to the central control room and had them take over the shift of the current staff. Then they turned off all internal alarms and defenses. She left them with orders to remain in their positions to make sure no one else discovered what they had done. Then the group began to make their way to Giovanni.

"There are other psychic-types in here, on lookout," Victoria said to her group telepathically. She had connected all of their minds into a psychic circle so they could communicate.

"Can you block them from finding us?" Starswirl said.

"Yes, but that isn't a foolproof protection. I can't stop them from having premonitions and getting suspicious."

"Then what's keeping them from finding us?" Mudbrier said.

"Most of them are busy helping their masters plan for heists and the kidnapping of wild Pokémon. The ones on guard have grown lazy, since no one in their right mind would invade this place without an army. I hope that this laziness will allow us to sneak in and out undiscovered."

"Even if we are discovered, so long as we've accomplished our goal before then all will be well," Starswirl replied. "Let's keep moving."

They walked through the halls of the castle without saying a word. It was just as large and intimidating on the inside as it was on the outside. There were at least four grunts in every room, except for those rooms clearly designed to fool intruders. Powerful Pokémon stalked next to their trainers. Small, first form Pokémon scurried about the hallways to deliver letters between Team Rocket members. Some were used as maids or butlers. They cleaned the floors, dusted the furniture and carried trays full of food and drink for the more prominent humans.

"I see that Team Rocket is as well staffed as ever," Master Saitori said as they passed through a large training hall full of new recruits. "I hope we reach our destination soon."

"I'm still not sure about this…" Victoria said. Her anxiety was pulsing through the psychic link, making her friends worry about her. "Giovanni isn't someone whose mind I really want to be inside. He's pure evil."

"I could cast a spell to manipulate him into doing our bidding," Starswirl said.

"You would do that?"

"If you want. I am well versed in our plan, since I helped make it. I know where to send him, and I can do it while making him think it was his own idea. If he is truly as evil as you say I would have no qualms against it."

"Giovanni is… an otherworldly kind of evil. I've done things in his service that…" she paused, and shivered as disgust and fear threatened to engulf her. "If anyone can match those wretched nightmare Batmen I saw in your minds, it is him."

They made their way into the upper levels of the castle, encountering increasingly more powerful Pokémon as they reached the top four floors.

"Those are Ultra Beasts?" Mudbrier said through the psychic link. He was staring at a group of four Buzzwole standing in a circle talking. "They look rather… intimidating."

"They are Ultra Beasts who have agreed to work with Giovanni," Victoria replied. She was staring at the Pokémon angrily. "They willingly allowed themselves to be cloned so that Team Rainbow Rocket's army could grow strong. Their clones aren't nearly as intelligent as they are. It makes them easier to control. They… would often ridicule me for being a clone, as if I were on the same level as the others."

"We should keep going," Pinkie Pie said as she rubbed Victoria's arm comfortingly.

"Right."

They continued upward until they reached an office at the end of a long hallway on the top floor.

"I'll deal with the guards," Victoria said as she raised a hand and seized the minds of the Team Rocket group in front of the door. There was a momentary pause where the human's faces twitched strangely, as if they were trying to resist. Then they calmed and stood aside.

"Well," Starswirl said. "I'll be right back."

He cast a phasing spell on himself, allowing him to pass through solid objects. Then he entered the room where Giovanni worked.

Starswirl immediately felt the atmosphere change. A human sat at a desk ten feet in front of him, writing out his thoughts on a piece of paper. He shivered as he approached the Team Rocket leader, and quickly cast his spell. Giovanni paused in the creation of his plans. His brow furrowed and he looked up.

For a moment, Starswirl the Bearded was convinced the human could see him. He prepared an offensive spell to defend himself with. Then Giovanni laughed a little before returning to his work, an evil smile on his face replacing the scowl he had worn a moment before. Starswirl ended the spell, turned and cantered back out of the room, his nerves shocked by the pure evil he felt from Giovanni as he left.


End file.
